#poly batch x reader

She’s shocked awake by the cold, sputtering as cold water washes over her. 

“Sorry.” Tech murmurs. “We have to get it off of you.” 

His voice sounds far away despite the fact he was leaning right next to her. The cold feels good, but it does little to cool the heat beneath her skin.  She’s still in her clothes, all of her getting soaked by the freezing water. She shifts a little, gasping when her thighs rub together. She’s damp. Not from the water, but there’s an intense ache between her thighs.

She reaches for his hand as he reaches across her to shut the water off. She pulls it to her face, nuzzling into the gloved hand. It’s not enough, though. She needs more. She needs to feel skin. Someone’s skin. 

“Hey.” Tech stops her from pulling off the glove. “No, hang on. We’re gonna figure this out.” He wraps a towel around her shoulders. “Just hang on.” 

She whimpers as he leaves her, the door sliding closed behind him. 

***

“So what are we dealing with, Tech?” Hunter asks, his head resting in his hand. They had sealed off the cockpit, making sure none of the pollen had followed them in. 

“It’s very fascinating.” Tech says, looking through the slides. “I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s very potent. Just this small dose could affect any one of us.” 

“So how do we fix it?” Echo asks. 

“It mainly affects the brain.” Tech says, still looking at the slides. “But it seems endorphins and oxytocin bind to it and neutralize it.” 

“What?” Wrecker asks, the other four members of the Batch looking at Tech for further explanation. 

“They’re brain chemicals. Most commonly released during sex. Judging by her body’s reaction to the pollen, that’s the whole idea. She needs that release of chemicals in order to neutralize the effects of the pollen. It’s quite genius actually,” Tech adjusts his glasses. “Quite effective in distracting an enemy platoon if they’re all out of their minds.” 

“So, she rubs a few out and she’ll be alright?” Hunter asks, sinking into the pilot’s seat.

“No.” Tech deadpans. 

“What do you mean, no?” Hunter asks sternly. He had been the first to notice something wasn’t right, the shift in Night’s scent, the way her heart sounded like it was going to beat right out of her chest.  

“Well,” Tech starts. “It’s not that simple. This is very potent and she got a big dose directly on her body. If she can’t produce enough chemicals by herself, the prolonged state of arousal could kill her. If her temperature continues to climb, if her heart rate stays elevated too long, the dehydration, sheer exhaustion, all of it could be deadly.” 

“So one of us has to fuck it out of her system?” Crosshair asks, chewing his toothpick so hard it might snap. 

“That would be ideal.” Tech says. But we’d have to do it. The last bit goes unspoken.

None of them can look at each other. It had been an unspoken rule when Cody had forced codename Midnight to join them that things were to remain strictly platonic among them. It had been easy at first, as a string of missions had left them with little downtime. But when their missions became less frequent, and their travel time between them increased, it became hard for them to ignore the feelings stirring in each of them for the civilian. Even Crosshair couldn’t deny the softening of his exterior towards her, even if he did still give her reason to call him a dick constantly. 

“I’ll do it.” Crosshair says, the other four occupants turning quickly to look at him. 

“Cross...” Hunter starts, wanting to argue, but Crosshair doesn’t let him. 

“I’m the only one who can.” He says, standing. He’s already pulling off his armor piece by piece. “We need Tech to keep a clear head in case something goes wrong. A small dose might kill Hunter with his senses.” His eyes drop to Echo. “We’re not putting Echo through something like that. And Wrecker might kill her if he loses control.” He lets his codpiece drop to the floor with a clang. “It’ll be easier for her to hate me when it’s all over.” 

“He’s right.” Tech says, finally. “He’s the safest option for all of us.” 

Hunter sighs, wanting to argue, but he knows Crosshair is right. “Don’t...hurt her.” He says to the sniper, not really sure what else to say. Good luck felt too wrong in this situation. 

“I don’t think she’s the one you should worry about.” 

****

“Give it a couple times.” Tech says as they stand outside the door. “If it’s working, she’ll show some signs of lucidity. If she’s not...I’ll try to come up with something else in the meantime.” 

Crosshair nods. Just fuck her till she’s back to normal. Shouldn’t be that hard. 

He gets an eyeful of her as soon as he walks through the door. She’s on her back on the floor, legs spread facing the door. Her clothes have been abandoned in a wet pile in the corner. He can’t help but zero in on where three of her fingers are stuffed into her cunt, a small puddle on the floor under her ass. 

“Cross.” His name leaves her lips in a mix between a whine and a moan. It shoots straight between his legs. He runs a hand over the bulge in his blacks as he slowly approaches her. 

“You’re making a mess, little girl.” He drops to his knees between her spread legs, watching her fingers slide in and out of her dripping cunt. 

The nickname had started as an insult. He had meant it in the most derogatory way he could, not trusting Cody that this girl could handle herself on the kinds of missions they were sent on. He could hardly call her that in any way but ironically. She was older than him, older than all of them. He wouldn’t say it had taken on an affectionate meaning now. But she did get less angry with him when he said it. 

“Please,” She begs, lifting her hips to fuck herself into her fingers. “I-I can’t...” 

He grips her under the knees, her skin slick with sweat. He parts her legs as far as they’ll go. She’s flexible. He’d watched her time and time again maneuver her way through a battlefield like it was a dance. She was a competent fighter, something she had proved time and time again. She fit in with them so well, something even he had to admit. 

But this. This would complicate things. 

He had to do it. If he didn’t it would kill her. If he didn't, one of the others would have to. It would put them, or her, in danger. He sighs out a curse, pulling her fingers from her cunt with an obscene pop. He shoves them into her mouth, one hand holding her wrist there, the other sliding between her legs. 

Her pussy is red and glistening. She’s moaning, the sound muffled by her fingers. His own slide over her slit, the copious amounts of slick allowing them to slide right into her. She moans, eyes rolling as his long fingers reach deeper into her than hers ever could. She’s so desperate, a couple passes of his thumb over her clit has her shaking and cumming around his fingers. 

Her juices slide out around his fingers, wetting his hand. It’s obscene, all of it. He loves it. 

He releases her to work his cock out of his blacks. There’s drool sliding out of the sides of her mouth, a string of saliva attached to her fingers as she pulls them from her mouth. He groans at the sight, passing his slick hand over his length. 

“Please, Cross, I need you.” She whines, lifting her hips off the floor. “Hurts so much. Need your cock in my pussy. Need you to fuck me.” 

“Yeah, little girl? You need me to fill you up?” He flips her over on her stomach, delivering a slap to her ass. He likes the way it jiggles, the way it fills his hands. How he’d love to tie her up, take her apart piece by piece until she’s begging him for relief. Not because she’ll die if she doesn’t cum. 

“Please.” She whines, grinding her hips into the floor. 

He curses softly, using a hand to guide himself into her. There’s almost no resistance as he slides right into her dripping cunt. He holds himself up, taking a moment to drag his eyes along the delicate curve of her spine. 

She whines, lifting herself onto her elbows, grinding back against him. He watches her for a  moment, enjoying the needy side of her. The things he would do to her if she were in her right mind. But she wasn’t. She was fucked up, and he needed to fuck her to fix it. 

“Please.” She whines, already clamping around him as her movements grind her clit against the floor. 

He presses a hand between her shoulder blades, forcing her flat on the floor with a quiet thud. He pins her down before pulling his hips back, almost slipping out of her, before surging forward. She moans loudly, the sound vibrating through his hand on her back. He keeps her pinned still, building up speed as he thrusts in and out. 

The force of his thrusts have her clit dragging against the floor again, her legs already starting to shake. She was so close, the feeling of him inside her already easing some of the ache that had been burning for what felt like hours. She’s drooling on the floor where her cheek is pressed into it but she can’t bring herself to care. 

He doesn't stop when she cums, working through the fluttering and squeezing of her pussy around him. He’s quickly forcing her into another. The more she came, the quicker this would be over. He tells himself that, even as he pauses to cum inside her. She had an implant, they all did. They were clones, but they were still men. They still had their needs. 

He’s not sure how many times she’s cum since they started. He’d lost count, even of his own. They’re both a mess, both slick with sweat and covered in fluid. But he knows, he can tell it’s over. Her body doesn’t feel as warm, despite the fact they’d been going at it for a while. Her moans aren’t desperate anymore. They were softer and more restrained when he’d cum in her the last time. Her body was still, no longer moving with him, seeking any friction she could get. 

And the way she said his name...

“Cross.” She breathes, reaching out for the hand that’s planted next to her head. “Cross, wait, please.” She wraps a hand around his arm, holding on as tight as she can. He could easily pull away, but something in her voice is keeping him still. 

His knees are aching. They’d been in this position for a long time. He’d have bruises probably, but so would she. He knows she has to hurt. She’s going to hurt. He’s still inside  her, going soft as she relaxes. She slowly starts to move, working herself over onto her back. It’s a bit like watching a fish attempt to flop back into water, her movements jerky and weak. 

He slides out of her with a gush of fluid as she turns, making her groan and wince. There’s a wet patch of drool on the side of her face still, as well as an imprint of the lines from the floor. He doesn’t want to look at her as she lays under him, but she holds his face in her hands, forcing him to. She’s still breathing deeply to recover from the exertion, and likely being squished into the floor for so long. 

“Cross.” 

She says his name so gently, with so much emotion it almost makes him shiver. Kriff, what he wouldn’t give to hear it all the time. He wasn’t like Hunter, or Tech, or even Wrecker. He hadn’t given into her. Not before. He was a cold-hearted asshole to her. Sure, he’d saved her ass a few times on the battlefield, and she’d even saved his. But that didn’t mean he wanted to climb into her cot with her and fuck the adrenaline away after a fight. He did care about her, but he had never given thought to acting on the attraction. 

But he couldn’t deny the stirring he felt every time he walked past her makeshift room and heard the quiet giggles, the creaking cot, the occasional moan when they thought no one was near. The quiet sighs and occasional wet smack of skin and lips from Wrecker’s bunk when she stayed with him. 

“One more time.” She says quietly, wrapping her arms around him. “One more. Please.” 

It would be so easy to slip back into her, fuck her for real. Finally let himself go, let himself have what he’s been denying himself of. 

But he can’t. He had done what he needed to do. He pulls away, her muscles too weak to try and fight him, bring him back. He tucks himself back into his blacks wordlessly. Pushing himself to stand. He focuses on the pain in his knees, the stiffness of his body. He could at least clean her up, make sure she’s decent before Tech comes in to probe. 

Instead he leaves, ignoring the calls of his name behind him. 

*****

She hates him. 

She tries to fight the burning tears behind her eyes. She focuses on the cramping as Tech’s fingers push into her abdomen. She’s sore and raw, her whole body feeling like she had just lost a very brutal fight. She’d been in those fights before. It was how Cody had found her. 

But this. This was something else. 

What she wouldn’t give for an ice cube. Or even an ice dildo. A huge ice pack she could just lay over her body and let herself go numb. It wouldn’t fix the pain inside. 

She’s crying, hot tears burning her skin. 

“Hey, I’m sorry. I don’t want to hurt you, but I have to make sure nothing’s injured.” Tech wipes the tears from her cheeks. Precious Tech, always so sweet to her. 

She wishes she could tell him, explain why she was crying, but she can’t put it into words. Crosshair was a dick. A giant dick. To everyone. Even sometimes to his own squadmates, his remarks would bite a little too hard. He didn’t like her. She knew that much. She had butted heads with him time and time again since she had joined them. Name calling, verbal altercations, she’d even hit him once. 

They had lessened a bit over time, when she’d proved herself capable of being a part of the squad, being involved in missions as dangerous as the ones they went on. Even after she’d drunkenly confessed her feelings to the Batch and fucked Hunter, then Wrecker, then Tech. Echo had expressed his hesitations and she had respected them. But she had made it known, if he ever did want to, she’d be willing. She had made sure Crosshair had heard that as well. But still the sniper had been cold, ignoring any and all attempts to spike his interest. 

Tech had explained to her what happened. Or, at least some of it. She’d been dosed by a sex pollen, and Crosshair had elected to fuck it out of her system. He couldn’t tell her what had happened while Crosshair was with her, but she remembered bits and pieces of it. It had been more shocking that Crosshair had been the one to do it. She had been convincing herself perhaps he didn’t have any interest in sex, or maybe he wasn’t into women, before this mission. 

It could still be the case. But his blatant rejection had hurt her. No explanation, no reasoning. No gentle let down. He had just up and left her. Walked out and hadn’t looked back. 

The machine beside her beeps and she closes her eyes. Tech had wanted to analyze her blood, make sure there was nothing else, no lasting effects. She wanted nothing more than to go lay down, curl up somewhere, cry. She hated crying in front of them. She tried everything not to, even when she was hurt she waited until she was shut away in her makeshift cot to finally let the tears go. She had mastered the silent cry a long time ago. 

She forces herself to stop, sitting through the rest of Tech’s exam quietly. He rattles off about infusions, electrolyte levels, muscle fatigue, even as he carries her back to her makeshift room. It was a storage closet they had cleared for her, giving her more privacy than their bunks. She hadn’t cared, she would have stayed in a bunk, but they thought it fair to give her more privacy. She wasn’t a soldier, and she was a woman. 

She’s thankful for it now as Tech leaves her with an electrolyte pack. He’d been sweet enough to tuck her in, but that had only made the ache in her chest worse. She hated it, that she was feeling it. She would take his cruel words, his name calling, the glare in his eyes every time he looked at her over this. 

Tech had said it had taken two hours before she snapped out of it. She could feel the effects of those two hours. The dull ache in her pelvis, the rawness between her legs. The ache in her chest. 

She hurts. All of her hurts. Even the inside. 

*****

“It’s been two days.” 

“I’m sure she’s just tired.” 

“But what if something’s wrong?” 

“Nothing’s wrong.” Hunter says, leaning back in the pilot’s seat. “She’s...sleeping a lot.” 

He had been listening in on her, checking in. She hadn’t left her room in two days except for the occasional trip to the ‘fresher. She hadn’t left since...that incident. They had all agreed not to give specifics on what had happened when the GAR inevitably contacted them about their delay. They had picked up some sort of bug from the planet, and had chosen to quarantine. It had turned out to be harmless, and they were on their way to their next destination. It wasn’t totally a lie. Just nothing specific. 

No one needed to know. 

She cried a lot. Hunter was the only one who heard. She tried to be tough in front of them, saving the crying for when she was alone in her room. He always heard her sniffles, scented the salty tears when he passed. He never said anything. He didn’t think she’d want him to. This time, though, he could hear her quiet sobs from the cockpit. 

“What the hell did you do to her?” Wrecker finally snaps, storming towards Crosshair where he’s seated, dutifully cleaning his rifle. 

“Nothing she didn’t ask me to.” Crosshair bites back, standing to defend himself. 

“Hey.” Hunter steps between them, putting his hands up. “This is not helping any.” He turns to Wrecker. “If it’s bothering you so much, I’ll go check on her.” 

“I’m just worried about her.” The giant deflates a little. “I miss her.” 

“I know.” Hunter says, putting a hand on his shoulder. “We all do. But you remember what Tech said. She just needs some time to recover.” 

Wrecker takes a step back, nodding. “I just want her to be okay.” 

“I know.” Hunter squeezes his shoulder. “She will be eventually.” He turns to fix Crosshair with a gaze, the sniper still glaring, but he knows the situation’s been diffused. 

Crosshair had been broody, more so than normal. He either stayed in his bunk or sat in the corner, repetitively cleaning his rifle, taking it apart and putting it back together. He hadn’t spoken much, even when Tech had checked him over. He had been bombarded with questions when he’d come to alert Tech that she had recovered, but he had ignored them all in favor of slipping away to the ‘fresher to clean up, and then hiding away in his bunk. Hunter knows it must have been hard on him, but he was right. He was the only one who could do it. Tech had reaffirmed they had no other options. Even trying to get to a medical facility wouldn’t have done much good. They likely hadn’t had that much time either. 

Hunter leaves the cockpit when he’s sure things have diffused between Wrecker and Crosshair, not wanting to risk more disruptions on the ship. He can hear the quiet sniffles as he approaches, smelling the salty air. He knocks on the door, the sniffling quieting. 

“I know you’re awake.” He says, finger hovering over the pad to open it. Tech had wired it so she could lock it if she wanted to, but she almost never did. “Can I come in?” 

She gives no answer, the only sound inside the muffled breaths. He was the commanding officer. He had to ensure the well being of all of those under his command. He tells himself he’s not breaking any moral code when he opens the door anyway. 

His eyes make a quick scan of the room. It’s dimly lit, the overhead light shut off, only the small string of lights around the bed lit. The case of rations Tech had slipped in sits unopened, as does the canteen of water next to it. He steps closer to the bed, moving slowly so as not to startle her. She’s crying again, face shoved into her pillow. The blanket is tossed haphazardly around her, pieces of bare skin revealed. 

He kneels down next to the cot, reaching a hand out. “Hey.” He almost whispers it, scared of breaking the quiet heaviness of the room. The air inside is stale from not being opened, the sadness of the single occupant weighing heavy. He could almost taste it, even without his heightened senses. “I need you to tell me what’s wrong.” 

She lets out a sob, pulling her face from the pillow. “I don’t know! I don’t know what’s wrong!” Her breaths are shaky, eyes red from crying. “It’s stupid! I shouldn’t care, but I can’t help it!” 

He carefully scooches her over, being careful not to hurt her as he takes a seat next to her on the cot. “I need you to explain things a bit.” 

She turns to face him. “Is he gay?” 

“What?” He asks in confusion. 

“Is Crosshair gay?” 

Hunter chokes on a laugh. “I don’t...” He pauses, thinking about it. “I don’t think so. I’ve never seen him show interest in men before. Then again, I’ve never seen him show interest in women either.” 

She groans, pulling the pillow over her face. “That doesn’t help me!” 

“Care to share, mesh’la?” He asks, gently peeling the pillow away so she doesn't suffocate herself. 

“I asked him to fuck me.” She deadpans. “I asked him after the pollen had worn off. I asked him to fuck me one more time, just so I didn’t have to feel like I was taking advantage of him, or he was taking advantage of me and I just wanted a little closure and he just walked out. Now I feel like I overstepped and it’s all my fault and I’m causing too much of a rift in the squad and I’ve made everyone uncomfortable and maybe I should just leave.” 

Hunter stares down at her, processing her words. “You’re not going anywhere.” He says finally, cupping her face. “Crosshair volunteered to help you because he didn’t want any of us getting hurt, including you. I know it wasn’t easy for him either. He does care about you in his own weird Crosshair way. He’s been brooding since that day. Brooding more than usual. You should talk to him. The way you know how.” He smiles at her. “In the meantime, Wrecker is very worried about you.” 

She pouts. “Poor baby, will you send him in?” 

He nods, kissing her head. “Yeah. Gimme a minute.” 

He heads out into the hallway, pausing by Wrecker’s bunk. He grabs Lula before calling out for his vod. He knows from the heavy footsteps in the cockpit he’s heard. He heads back to Night’s room, kneeling down next to the bed. 

“Here.” He places Lula in her arms, brushing the hair from her face. She looked pathetic and he hated it. He hated seeing her like this. “What a karking idiot.” He hisses, shaking his head. “I care about all of you, but sometimes I want to let Wrecker punch Cross right through the side of the ship.” 

Night cracks a smile. “I’d gladly watch that right now.” 

Wrecker appears at the door with perfect timing, stepping into the small space. “Night, you okay?” 

She sniffles, clutching Lula tighter to her chest. “No. Will you cuddle me?” 

Wrecker grins. “Yeah I will!” He moves to the bed, picking up Midnight and settling himself on the small bunk. “It’s okay, Night. I’ve got ya.” 

Hunter watches them for a moment before stepping out, closing the door. His blood boiling, anger filling him. He makes his way back to the cockpit, desperately clinging to his last bit of restraint. It goes out the window when he sees Crosshair, red filling his vision. 

He grabs Crosshair from his seat, slamming him up against the wall. “How dare you! I know you’re a miserable bastard who hates everyone, but that was taking it too far!” Echo and Tech are at his sides, trying to pull him away from his vod. “How dare you leave her like that!” 

Crosshair glares at him, shoving him back a bit. “You don’t know what it was like. It wasn’t her asking me to do all those things to her. I feel like I...took advantage of her. I couldn’t look her in the eye not knowing if she knew, if she remembered. If she thought I had...” He clenches his fists. “I care about her too. More than you think I do. If you think that was easy for me, if you think I don’t regret leaving her like that, you’re wrong.” 

“You could have told one of us! We would have gone in, comforted her more! She’s so upset because you made her feel like she took advantage of you!” 

Tech and Echo hold him back as he tries to lunge towards Crosshair again. “Hunter!” Tech draws his attention away from Crosshair, forcing him back a couple steps. “We need to discuss this, but you need to calm down first. You’re no good to anyone if you’re upset.” 

Hunter can see the guilt behind Tech’s glasses. He was the first who saw her after. He had known something was off, but he hadn’t thought it could be something like this. His thoughts had all been physical ailments, aftereffects of the pollen. He was right there. He could have done something. 

Hunter knows Tech is feeling partially responsible, even if it wasn’t his fault. 

“We need you to calm down. Then we’ll all talk about this like adults.” 

If the situation wasn’t so serious, he may have cracked a smile at the inside joke. Midnight was technically the only adult on board. 

****

Midnight finds Crosshair in the hull, seated at a table. He’s got his head down, focusing on the ration in front of him. He doesn’t even bother looking up when she approaches, standing over him. She slams her hands down on the table, drawing his attention up to her face. He glares at her, eyes squinted. She’s glaring right back, nose scrunched in the adorable way it does when she’s angry. 

“I’m going to talk, and you are going to listen.” She says, pointing a finger at him. 

“I don’t have to do anything.” He snarks. 

“No, you are going to listen because I deserve at least that much.” 

He glares at her, but doesn’t reply. She knows she has him. She stays standing, leaning her hands on the table. 

“I know why you volunteered to help me, I know you only fucked me because you had to. I know we both feel like we took advantage of each other even though it was a life or death situation. I want you to know,” She curses the way her voice shakes. “I want you to know that I’m okay with it. If you’re questioning my consent, I’m going to tell you now, I want you to do it. You saved my life, and protected the squad. I would have wanted you to do it. But I need you to be straight with me because I can’t take it anymore. I know you don’t like me, you don’t like me being here. I need you to tell me flat out that you don’t want me so I can stop feeling horrible about trying to coerce you into fucking me.” 

He stares up at her for a tense moment. She wishes she could read minds, get anything out of him that let her know what he was feeling. But all he gave her was his signature glare, which told her next to nothing other than that he was annoyed by her very existence. 

He moves so fast she almost can’t process it. He stands, grabbing her and dragging her up onto the table. His tray clatters to the floor along with his silverware, both of them ignoring it. She’s kneeling on the table, eye to eye with him. His hand is closed around her throat, his breath fanning across her cheek as he leans into her ear. “You don’t know how badly I want to fuck you, little girl.” He hisses. “To bend you over this table, fuck you until you’re begging, then I’ll decide if you get to cum.” He licks the shell of her ear, a quiet whimper leaving her. “I’m not soft.” He warns her. “I’m not gentle. I’ll pick you apart piece by piece until you can’t even speak. I’ll have you thinking about me every time you walk, every time you sit down.” He bites at the skin below her ear, sucking a mark. “I’m not going to be nice to you.” 

She gasps as his free hand fondles her ass, squeezing it roughly. “You’re a dick, Crosshair. I wouldn’t expect you to be nice to me.” 

He growls, crashing his lips against hers. It’s desperate, rough, so very different from the others. She presses closer to him, his hand sliding into the back of her lounge pants. It was the set she always wore between missions when they had downtime on the Marauder. 

They ignore the sound of the door opening, and the disgusted cries of poor Tech. 

“Really guys, the table? We all eat there!” 

“I fucked her on it last week.” Hunter says, patting Tech’s shoulder as he passes. 

Naturally things hadn’t gone to plan, and they were fending off a droid army themselves. No help was coming, no backup on the way. It was the six of them, and an uncountable number of droids. 

This was what they did. This was what she was voluntold to do. 

She curses Cody’s name with every expletive she can think of. 

“Language, little girl.” Crosshair scolds through the comm, the droid behind her falling as she stabs the one in front of her. “Watch your back.” 

“I can only watch so much at once.” She grunts, stabbing another droid. 

“Tech, are those charges planted?” Hunter asks. He was somewhere off to her right, outside her field of vision. 

“Almost.” Tech grunts. 

They were going to blow the base up. Naturally, that’s the plan. She’d seen more explosions in her time with the Batch than she had ever seen in all the holofilms she’d watched. She didn’t share Wrecker’s enthusiasm for explosions. They were loud, hot, uncomfortable. She could only imagine what they were like for Hunter. 

She blasts a couple more droids, catching sight of the Sergeant through the dust. Her goggles were quickly getting grainy from the dirt, her fingers wiping at them every chance she got. Tech had been wanting to upgrade them for ages now. He had taken it upon himself to make quiet upgrades to her armor here and there. She was less protected than them in their heavy plastoid, so he tried to make up for the many weak spots while still keeping her maneuverability. 

Of course, if she’s going to get shot, it’ll be right in the weak spot. 

The droid sneaks up behind her. She’s not exactly sure how, droids weren’t known for their stealth. The shot burns through her arm, hitting halfway down her tricep. She turns, throwing her knife at the droid behind her before it can fire again. She lets out a shaky breath, reaching behind her to touch the wound. It’s a clean shot, her fingers coming back bloody. 

“Kriff.” She curses, picking up her blaster with her other hand. She’d have to make due. 

“You good, Night?” Hunter’s voice comes through the comms. 

“Yup.” She says, firing unsteadily at more droids. “Would be nice to get this finished up now.” 

She’s not okay. She can’t feel her arm. From shoulder to fingers the entire thing is numb. She couldn’t move her fingers at all. She couldn’t straighten it either. 

“Charges are set.” Tech says, right on cue. “Fall back, this is gonna be a big one.” 

She ignores Wrecker’s excitement, taking off towards the cliff behind her. It wasn’t a big drop, six feet maybe, but it would offer cover. 

The silence before the explosion is deafening, the force of the explosion pushing her over the edge of the cliff. She tucks and rolls to land, laying flat once she’s stopped to catch her breath. She watches the sky flicker from the fireball of the explosion, several other smaller explosions echoing after the big one. She thinks up every curse she can as she tries to convince herself to stand. 

“You okay, cyar’ika?” Echo appears over her, pale face coming into view. 

She takes a breath before nodding. “Yeah.” She turns to look at the cliffside. “Was a bigger jump than I thought.” 

He offers her a hand, helping her to her feet. She dusts herself off, careful not to show any sign of her injury.The last thing she needs is them all worrying about her. Again. She lets her hand wrest on her belt, trying to make it seem casual. 

“Let’s get back to the ship.” She says. “I need a very long nap.” 

Echo walks with her back to the ship, his eyes constantly flicking to her. She was trying very hard to pretend like nothing was wrong, just her usual tiredness after a mission. She’s not sure if it’s a clone thing, but she was always the first to sleep after a mission. She always thought it was when she got her best sleep too. Tech had explained the difference between passing out and actual restful sleep once, but she had only been halfway paying attention. She didn’t want their ritual ruined. 

The guys would all be up for hours after a mission. Unless something went seriously wrong, or someone was injured, they would all still be buzzed on adrenaline hours after hers had worn out and she’d passed out in her closet. Crosshair was usually the second to go down, around the time that she started to rise. The others followed after, Tech usually the last to surrender to exhaustion well after she’d been awake for a while. 

It was their little unspoken ritual. They did the boring cleanup stuff while she rested, then she took watch duty while they rested. It was their thing. It worked. 

She’s really tired this time. Her feet are dragging even before they reach the Marauder. Wrecker is animatedly reenacting the explosions to Crosshair, laughing loudly in excitement. 

“It was beautiful, Wrecker.” Hunter says, appeasing the giant child. 

Midnight makes her way past them, starting up the ramp. She just wanted to sleep. She wanted to lay down and pass out for a few hours. 

“What the hell is that?” 

The words stop her dead in her tracks. She had completely forgotten that she had a gaping hole in the back of her arm she was supposed to be hiding. It would be the one with the bird-like eyesight that caught it. She can feel five pairs of eyes burning into her back. She was fucked. Well and truly fucked. 

She can’t even come up with an excuse before a hand is grabbing her arm, pulling it back. She lets out a yelp, collapsing forward onto the ramp, only managing to save her knees with her free hand. She hisses through her teeth as Hunter prods at the wound. 

“It’s just a graze.” She grits out, arms and legs trembling from the awkward position she’d been forced into. 

“Just a-” Tech’s angry voice reaches her ears, his slim fingers taking the place of Hunter’s. “Night, this isn’t ‘just a scratch.’” She can feel a glob of blood seep out as he pokes at the edges, sliding down her arm like the rest of the blood. “You could lose your arm from a wound like this.” 

Tech is quick to right her, leading her into the Marauder and into their makeshift med bay. The others try to follow, all five of them wanting to be in the room but Tech kicks them out, telling them to finish and take off. They needed a restock anyways, and getting back to Kamino as quickly as possible would be ideal in case something went wrong. The medics there would be better suited for a wound like this than him. 

He lifts her onto the exam table, working to undo the armor and her suit. She’s breathing heavy, from pain or shock he’s not sure. Her pupils don’t look dilated, and she seems aware. Her pulse is high on the monitor, but that could be the lingering adrenaline as well. 

“This is going to hurt.” He says as he grips the bottom of her shirt. He needed to see the wound fully, and the blood-dampened cloth couldn’t have been comfortable. The worst thing that could happen would be it drying and sticking around the wound. 

She takes a deep breath, steadying herself. He waits until she nods before slowly lifting the cloth. She nearly passes out when he has to lift it over her head, the simple movement excruciating. She curses, nearly doubling over, her vision swimming. She could have been sick, had it not been for the thought of poor Tech having to clean it up. 

He tosses the shirt onto the pile of armor, moving behind her to pull out their medicomp. He mutters about reinforcing the armor, fixing any weak spots as he digs through the kit. She listens to him, knowing he’s blaming himself. 

“Tech.” She says, turning to look at him. He’s still muttering, focused on his task at hand. “Tech!” He looks up, wide eyed under his goggles. “It’s not your fault.” 

“My designs failed.” He says, tearing open a pack of bacta gel. It’s their last one. “You have a gaping hole in your arm.” 

“So? It’s just an arm.” 

“But what if it’s not ‘just an arm’ next time?” His long fingers press into her back. “What if it’s your back? Or your spine? Or,” His hand lifts, cradling the back of her head. Her hair is greasy from sweat, and there’s dirt in it from when she’d hit the ground. “What if it’s your head?” He stares at her for a moment before going back to work, holding her arm as he squeezes the gel into the blaster wound. “You need better armor. Something that’s not gonna keep putting you at risk.” 

She can’t argue with him. She knows better than to try and convince him right now. Not when he was worried. He was trying to come up with a solution to avoid having something like this happen again. It was how he processed his stress. Especially when he felt like he was directly, or indirectly, involved. The best thing she could do for him right now was heal. 

He wraps a bandage around her arm to keep the bacta gel in place before he moves in front of her. He takes her arm, pulling it straight a bit. She lets out a pained cry, bending forward to try and keep her arm bent at her side. 

“Can you move your fingers at all?” He asks, bending her arm back to where it was. 

She tries, thinking very hard about it, but her fingers don’t move. She can feel the pull on the muscles, but nothing happens. 

Tech doesn’t say anything, grabbing a sling. He maneuvers it around her, setting her arm in it. “This will take some pressure off your shoulder and keep your arm bent for now. Are you hurt anywhere else?” He asks, looking her over. 

“Dizzy.” She murmurs, letting her head fall forward against his pauldron. 

“That’s from the adrenaline, and likely some blood loss.” 

“Can I go to bed now?” She asks. 

“Stay in my bunk.” He says. “I want to keep an eye on how you’re healing.” 

She grumbles but acquices, sliding off the table. She leaves her armor behind, making her way out in just her pants and her breast band. Surprisingly no one’s outside the door. The ship had rumbled to life and jumped into hyperspace while Tech was checking her over. She’s glad they’ve left the planet behind for now. She was less than thrilled to be heading back to Kamino, but it was their home. The only home they had besides the Marauder. The rainy planet and its inhabitants were less than kind to her, but thankfully there weren't many places for her to go outside their barracks. 

“Feeling better?” Cross asks from where he sits on his bunk. Echo is seated on his bunk, looking at her worriedly. 

She mumbles incoherently, working her pants down with one hand, leaving her in just her underwear. She kicks off her pants and boots, leaving them in a pile even though it would annoy Hunter. She pushes Crosshair’s leg to the side, crawling into Tech’s bunk. She shoves a device to the side, careful not to press any buttons, before getting comfortable. She lets out a long breath, her eyes closing almost immediately. 

*****

She doesn’t get restful sleep. Tech checks her arm on a schedule, waking her every half hour as he prods at it, moving it to test her mobility. Even when the guys start to settle in for their rest, he’s still up, moving around, checking on her. She knows he has to be tired, but he wasn’t going to disrupt her in favor of getting rest himself. 

It’s dark and quiet on the ship when she wakes. She can hear the quiet breathing of the clones around her, and the loud breathing of Wrecker across the aisle. Her arm felt infinitely better. She could almost straighten it all the way now. She forgoes the sling, letting it stretch a bit as she climbs out of Tech’s bunk as quietly as she can. Hunter has his special earplugs in, the ones Tech made him so he could sleep without being disturbed, especially after missions when he needed it the most. 

She quietly tiptoes down to the cockpit, the pilot’s chair turned towards the transparisteel windows. The glowing blue of hyperspace lights up the otherwise dim cockpit. Midnight quietly pads towards the pilot’s seat, knowing that’s where Tech has planted himself. 

“Tech?” She calls out quietly, not wanting to disturb him. 

He glances up at her as she rounds the seat, dropping beside him. “Does your arm still hurt? Can you move it at all?” He asks, going back to what he was doing. 

“I can almost straighten it.” She says. “Doesn’t really hurt anymore.” 

“That’s good. I want to examine the wound soon.” He still hasn’t looked at her. 

It’s then she notices what he’s doing. He’s taking apart her armor, fiddling with it. She reaches out, putting a hand over his, stopping him. “Tech, you should rest. Don’t worry about that right now.” 

“I can’t.” He snaps, finally turning to look at her. “You could have died because this armor can’t protect you effectively. You almost died because of me!” 

“It’s not your fault, Tech. You can’t predict when something like that will happen. How many times has it protected me sufficiently before?” 

“It doesn’t matter. There’s too many weak spots, too many chances for something worse to happen.” 

“You can worry about it on Kamino. Right now you need to rest.” 

“I can’t rest knowing you got hurt!” He almost yells. She’s worried about him waking the others. 

“Tech,” She starts, gently easing the armor out of his hands. She slides into his lap instead. It’s a tight squeeze even with his lanky form. “It’s okay.” She wraps her arms around his neck, gently pushing his goggles back up his nose. “When we get to Kamino, you can build me new armor if you want. Right now,” She takes his hands, guiding them to rest on her ass. “I need your focus on me.” 

He swallows thickly, his face getting hot as she presses back into his hands. Still, after all the times he’d been with her, after all the time he’d spent mapping out her body both sexually and also for research purposes, he still managed to get flustered. 

At least until you got him going. 

She hums, tracing his face as she leans down, kissing him. He presses up to meet her, his grip tightening just slightly on her ass.  His blunt nails tease the back of her thighs, making her shiver. She slides a hand up to run through his short cropped curls, teasing the strap of his goggles.

“Leave them.” He murmurs against her lips, pushing himself out of the chair, lifting her with him. His strength always surprised her. Then again, she’d felt how heavy their armor was. If they could carry that and move like they did, they had to be very strong. 

He lays her down on the floor of the cockpit, kneeling over her. She shakes her head, pulling his face down to hers. “I think we should make some upgrades to the ship.” She presses her lips to his. “I keep getting fucked on the floor.” 

He smiles against her lips. “We could wait until we’re back on Kamino. Fuck you in the barracks where all the guys can watch.” 

She pulls back, biting her lip, the thought sending a wave of arousal through her. 

Tech stares at her, analyzing her for a moment. “You’d...like that?” 

They’d never done it before. She knew on a small ship the others were bound to hear, especially in the bunks privacy was limited. But they had never discussed anything like what Tech was insinuating. The others watching, or even the others joining. The ship was too small for it to be comfortable for all of them, but in their barracks on Kamino...She can picture it, spread out on their table, the five of them around her. The thought has her nerves tingling, heat rushing through her straight to her pussy. 

She takes Tech’s hand, shoving it between her legs. His hand is warm, nimble fingers dragging over the damp spot on her underwear. She sighs his name, pulling him back down to meet her lips. “You wanna help me feel better?” She murmurs, nipping at his lips. 

He hums, chasing her mouth, his fingers rubbing her over the fabric of her underwear. 

“I’m gonna need you to fuck me.” 

He curses against her lips, lifting her leg to brush against the bulge in his blacks. He lets out a choked moan, pressing his face against her neck to muffle his voice. “Kriffing hell, cyare. You’re sure?” He asks, pulling back to look at her. “I don’t want to aggravate your wound.” 

She wraps her arms around his neck, pulling him against her. “Tech, if you don’t fuck me, I’m gonna wake up Wrecker.” 

He stares at her for a breath in disbelief before he pounces, kissing her hard as his hands slide down her sides to slip under the band of her underwear. She lifts her hips for him, her panties getting tossed somewhere in the cockpit. She doesn’t put much thought into it, undoing her breastband. He’s bending down instantly, his mouth closing over a nipple. She bites her lip to keep the sound in, fingers brushing through the short curls at the back of his head. 

He suckles at her breast as he reaches down to tug his blacks down his legs. His cock springs free, hitting her thigh. He’s hard and leaking, leaving a trail of precum on her skin. She didn’t care, she had yet to shower after getting covered in dirt and blood. She’d wait until Kamino where there was at least a chance of hot water. 

“Mm, Tech.” She moans, tugging at his hair. “So excited to see me.” 

“Why wouldn’t I be?” He asks, pulling away from her breast to stare down at her. “You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” 

She slaps at his shoulder, wrapping her legs around him. “Don’t get all sappy on me now. I’d like to cum once before we reach Kamino.” 

“I mean it.” He says, still not making any move. 

She stares up into the crooked goggles, looking past them to the dark eyes underneath. She cups his face, drawing him down to her lips. He kisses her lovingly, reaching between them to slide into her. She groans against his lips, shifting her hips slightly to adjust to the stretch. 

She bites her lip to keep quiet as he begins to move, hands planted next to her head. Tech’s moves are calculated, knowing exactly what angle to thrust into her at to garner a specific reaction. He knows what speed to go to control how quickly she came, just what spots to press to make her get there quicker. Everything about Tech was measured and calculated. He rarely ever lost himself, even in sex. 

He’s angled himself just right, his tip brushing that spot every time he thrusts. She curses quietly, pulling him down closer. He presses his mouth to hers, swallowing her moans as her legs begin to shake. He shifts his weight, his fingers slipping down to rub her clit. 

She practically sees stars when she cums, whining against his lips as her back arches off the floor. Tech slows to a stop, pulling out of her. She frowns, lifting her head to stare at him. “Tech, you didn’t-” 

“You said you wanted to cum at least once before we reached Kamino. We’ve got two hours left in hyperspace, and if I go off the average time it takes for you to orgasm, I can get three more out of you before the others start to wake.” 

She stares at him, open mouthed as he lowers his head down between her legs. “I kriffing love you, Tech.” His name leaves her mouth in a moan as he closes his mouth around her clit, her head falling back to the floor with a thud. 

****

Tech had been right, he’d wrangled three more orgasms out of her, the last finishing right as Crosshair had started to stir in his bunk. She’d streaked through the bunks to her own room, getting cleaned up before the others woke. Tech had checked her arm, the wound almost completely healed. He’d tested the range of motion of her arm too. It was a little stiff, but she could bend and straighten it almost without pain. 

She’s the last in the cockpit, the others already gathered there as they dropped out of hyperspace. She moves to the empty seat behind Crosshair, but she stops as Wrecker clears his throat. 

He’s holding her panties in his hand, the ones Tech had tossed out of the way just a couple hours ago. Her cheeks warm as she eyes the black fabric. 

“Missing something?” Wrecker asks, chuckling. 

A wicked idea forms in her head and she grins, moving over to him. She takes the panties from his hand, dropping one hand to his thick thigh for stability as she tucks them into a pocket on his belt. “Keep them.” She winks at him before straightening up. 

He lets out a loud cheer, pinching her bottom as she moves to her seat. She giggles, the other men shaking their heads. They weren’t gonna hear the end of this one for a while. 

*****

Midnight follows The Batch through the brightly lit halls of Tipoca City. They surround her out of instinct, Hunter leading them, Tech and Cross at her sides, Echo behind her and Wrecker picking up the rear. It was more a habit of theirs than anything else, shielding her from view. It wasn’t like she was in danger here, but the cautious eyes of the clones they passed made her uncomfortable. She knew how her squad was viewed by the so called “regs.” Better them stare at their fellow clones than the person who was obviously very much not a clone. 

The smell of the barracks hits her as soon as the door opens. “Still smells like man in here.” She says, beelining to her hammock. She’d strung it up after spending a night in Hunter’s bunk the first time she’d visited. She may as well have slept on the floor with how uncomfortable the bed was. All of them had shrugged when she’d brought it up the next morning. Of course they didn’t know any different. The bunks on the ship weren’t any better. Her cot was the most comfortable thing, and she still had to stretch extra when she got up in the morning. 

So she’d had Tech string up a hammock for her, much preferring that to even a mattress on the floor. Echo had the same idea, Tech rigging one up for him as well. It made her feel a bit bad, wondering if the boys had ever laid on a soft mattress, let themselves sink into a plush bed after a long day. Not that she had ever really slept on a plush mattress, but her lumpy old bed on the floor on Coruscant had been more comfortable than their bunks. 

“I don’t smell anything.” Wrecker says. 

“That’s because you’re a man.” She says, relaxing back in the hammock. 

Tech opens up the durasteel window shades, revealing the rainy landscape of buildings and ocean outside. He leans down as he passes, pressing a steamy kiss to her lips. Her mind goes back to the night before, the mental images she’d conjured up of the things they could do in the barracks. 

Tech gives her a sly smirk when he pulls away before leaving her in the hammock. 

“We’re heading out, do you want us to bring you back something to eat?” Hunter says, the door sliding open. 

“Sure.” She says, watching them in the reflection off the transparisteel. 

It’s quiet when the door closes, leaving her and Echo alone. She can’t see him from where he’s sitting, but she knows he’s there. She doesn’t say anything, instead watching the rain pelt the window, and the huge waves pass under the stilted buildings. 

“I can practically hear you thinking back there, Echo.” She says, breaking the silence. “Something on your mind?” 

It’s quiet for a moment. “I...wanted to talk to you.” 

She tries to turn back to look at him but she can’t see him at that angle, so instead she climbs out of her hammock. He’s seated at the table, facing the windows. She moves over, clearing a spot on the bench next to him before taking a seat. 

“About what?” She asks, looking up at him. 

He’s not looking at her, his golden eyes still focused out the window. “About...us.” 

She turns so she can see him better, leaning her elbow on the table. “Okay.” 

The last time they’d had this conversation, it was after she’d been with Wrecker the first time. After she’d drunkenly confessed her attraction to the Batch, after her and Hunter had drunkenly fucked on the Marauder, after the awkward morning after conversation when they’d negotiated their open relationship with her. 

Echo had been the most distant, the most hesitant. She knew it was due in part to his...physical state. She’d seen parts of it, when Tech did routine maintenance, making sure everything was functioning, or doing small upgrades on it. She’d heard the story, first from Hunter giving her the short version, then from Echo himself. It broke her heart, the things they did to him. 

It also helped her make sense of his hesitation. 

Echo had asked her if they could keep things more platonic between them. She had agreed immediately, not wanting him to feel pressured into doing anything he wasn’t comfortable with. She had been content in her relationship with him, and she had thought he was too, but perhaps she had been wrong. She knew it had to be hard for him, seeing her with the other four. Likely hearing it as well. She hadn’t even thought about how it could be affecting him. 

“Echo, I’m sorry if me and the guys have been making you uncomfortable.” She shakes her head. “I didn’t even think-” 

“It’s not that.” He interrupts her, looking away from her. “It’s more...I don’t want you to be disgusted by me.” 

She’s taken aback by his words. She knew he had struggled a bit adjusting to his new body. But had he been holding back because he thought she’d be disgusted by him? “Echo,” She wants to touch him, but she’s not sure if he would be comfortable with that. They weren’t really affectionate towards each other, only really touching each other out of necessity. “You thought I’d be disgusted by you? Honey, I’ve slept in Wrecker’s bunk. Naked. Several times.”

He turns to look at her, glancing past her at the messy bunk before meeting her gaze. “That’s...brave.” 

“You’re telling me.” She smiles. “Echo, I could never be disgusted by you.” She hesitates, studying his face for a moment. The guys knew a bit of her past, but she had never divulged any of the gritty details to them before. “You’re not the first cyborg I’ve ever been around. And you wouldn’t be the first cyborg I was...with either.” 

His eyebrows lift in surprise, a look of shock taking over his features. 

“Growing up in the Coruscant underworld, I had to do a lot to survive.” She starts, not trusting herself to keep the courage to tell him. “We were very poor. Our neighbors were troglodytes and ogres, we were so poor. After my mom died I had to resort to...other things to keep a roof over my head and food on the table. Besides fighting, I would...have sex for money. It wasn’t like I went seeking it out, but, it was more...men would offer and sometimes I was desperate enough I had to say yes. One of my...regulars...was a cyborg. He was more machine than man, though, and he wasn’t exactly...gentle. But he paid good money.” 

She stares at his face for a few moments, trying to read him. She hadn’t told anyone about that part of her life, not even Cody. But she trusted Echo. She trusted all the guys, but she wanted Echo to know the whole truth. 

“You never told us about that.” He says, his voice quiet. 

“I didn’t know how.” She admits. “I was afraid they’d...think it was the same thing with them. But it’s not. I love all of you individually. Even you, Echo.” 

“I can’t...give you that intimacy.” 

“There’s different kinds of intimacy. Not just physical. And I don’t need it, okay? I love you without it. I love all the guys. Even if we weren’t having sex I’d still love them too.” 

“You love me?”

He has such a hopeful look in his eyes it almost hurts. 

“Of course I do. I love every part of you, Echo.” 

He lifts his hand, slowly, almost hesitantly. His flesh hand ghosts over her cheek, warm under his glove. “I’d really like to kiss you.” 

“I’d really like it if you kissed me.” 

A smile tugs at his lips as he leans in, pressing his lips to hers. It’s soft and gentle, almost shy. She lets him lead, not wanting to push him too quickly. Make him feel uncomfortable. He pulls away after a moment, lips pulled up in a smile. 

Midnight can’t help but smile too, looking at him. He seemed so relaxed, almost happy. She leans her elbow on the table again, watching him. “That’s the sweetest kiss I’ve ever had.” She says, getting another smile in response. 

“I liked it. It was nice.” 

“Well, you can do that whenever you’d like.”