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clownery-and-fuckery · 4 months

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Debated not posting this for a minute but I figured I would anyways to end the year with a pop :) not gonna get anything else finished this year so I might as well post this!!!

Enjoy (: im probably gonna rewrite it at some point :)

"So. You're really going?"

Tech looks up from the porch. Crosshair is quick to shut the door, standing awkwardly just shy of where Tech sat.

"I am," He nods. "I'm leaving in the morning."

Crosshair doesn't look surprised. "Thought Hunter was dropping you off in the afternoon?" He asks, leaning on the doorframe.

Tech shakes his head. "No. I decided to just take the bus on my own. It is less trouble that way."

His tone is quiet, his shoulders have slumped, confessing his plan to practically run away from them.

He looks up to his older brother. "Are you going to stop me?"

Crosshair debates it. He wants to. He doesn't want his brother to leave at all. He doesn't want to admit it, either.

Sighing in defeat, he shakes his head.

"It's your choice." He forces out. "I can't stop you."

Something relaxes inside Tech, and he pats the spot next to him. Crosshair takes the unspoken offer, sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with his younger brother.

"This party's for you." Crosshair tells him. "Are you gonna sit out here all night?"

Maybe, Tech wants to say. Maybe I want to hide from the people I'm leaving.

Instead, he sighs. "I just needed some air. Between Wrecker, Cody and Hunter, I feel a bit..." He trails off.

"Suffocated." Crosshair supplies. Tech nods.

"Fair." Crosshair sighs, leaning back to look at the stars. "They're worried about you."

"I know," Tech groans, head in his hands. "That's what makes this worse."

It takes a moment for them to speak again, and when Tech does, his voice breaks, quiet and unsure as he stares at the grass.

"I don't want to go." He admits to his brother finally. "I'm– afraid. I dont want to leave you again."

Crosshair is sucker-punched by the fear in his younger brothers voice. He startles for a moment, completely caught off guard. He looks to Tech, and his heart clenches.

"Tech-" He starts, hand hovering over his trembling shoulder. "Tech, it's only for a few weeks."

His reminder is far more gentle than anything Crosshair's ever said in his life.

"I know," Tech scrubs at his eyes insistently. "I know."

Something tells Crosshair that's not true.

"It's silly," Tech continues, sniffing. It catches Crosshair off guard again. "To be this afraid. I just–"

Tech tries to rationalise it. "I live in college. I spend four of five nights in a working week away from home. It's fine."

It is not fine, and Tech saying it only proves that.

Crosshair listens, hovering. "I've been alone in a lab for years." Tech gasps out now, gesturing to nothing as he looks to the sky. "Why is it so hard now?"

Crosshair hesitates, then rests his hand between Tech's shoulder blades. He traces patterns into his brothers back, and whispers into the space between them.

"It's alright to be scared," The next words are a forced admittance, but a necessary one. For Tech. "I'm scared too, honestly."

Tech turns to look at his brother. His eyes are glassy, confused as he watches his brother.

"No one actually wants you to leave, Tech." Crosshair tells him. "Especially not to go to some random mountain lab with no reception."

Tech laughs, but the end catches on a sob. Crosshair continues.

"But this is good for you." He presses, wiping a stray tear from his younger brothers face, more gentle than Crosshair is used to being. "You're gonna do great things there."

Tech smiles, a bit shaky, and nods. "You're working with the best scientists around," He continues. "But I already know you're gonna be better than them." Crosshair assures with a shrug.

Tech snorts, wiping his own eyes now as he leans on Crosshair. "Don't say that," He mumbles. "They're far superior—"

"Not to me." Crosshair interrupts. "No one's smarter than you in my eyes."

Tech doesn't answer. He's staring at the grass again, unease beginning to creep back in. "What about you guys?" He asks, looking up to his brother.

Crosshair hesitates again. "We'll be fine," He shrugs Tech off. "A few weeks without you won't hurt, might actually teach Wrecker how to do the laundry."

Tech laughs, covering his mouth as Crosshair smirks slightly.

He considers his younger brother for a moment, then sighs, leaning in closer to rest his chin on top of his head.

"And..." Crosshair starts, his voice trailing off into a whisper. "And I promise to talk to Hunter. Properly."

It's a promise he knows will be hard to keep, but as he feels his brother grin ear to ear, he can't help but smile too.

"Can't promise we'll be best friends." Crosshair makes sure to clarify. "But I'll try."

"Thank you." Tech says, hugging his brother. "Thank you, Cross."

Crosshair would move the whole solar system to witness the smile on his younger brothers face again.

"Take care of yourself, too." Tech asks, still hugging his brother. It takes Crosshair a moment to process this isn't a touch he initiated as he hugs back, near squeezing his brother to death.

Oh, scared doesn't begin to describe how Crosshair feels.

"I will." He assures. "Someone has to pick up after them, with you out on the field."

They laugh. "I'll miss you–" Tech's voice almost cracks again, mood suddenly dropping again as he grips his brothers shirt.

"I know," Crosshair interrupts, smoothing his hand across Tech's back. "Me too. We'll see each other again soon. It's only a few weeks."

"Right." Tech forces out. "Only a few weeks."

They grip each other tight for a few more moments, content to sit there until sunrise. Crosshair wonders now more than ever if he'll cope.

"Come on." Crosshair stands, pulling Tech along with him. "We've got goodbye hugs to rush through. And cake."

"Cake?" Tech cringes for a moment.

"Red velvet." Crosshair reassures. "Echo made sure of it. The kid– Omega, has something for you, too."

Tech lights up, and takes Crosshair's hand. "Okay," He nods, speaking softly as he prepares himself to brave their crowded kitchen again. "I'm ready."

Crosshair wasn't.

He had nodded, and led Tech back inside, where they were greeted with cheers, hugs, and affections beyond either of their comprehensions.

Crosshair led Tech back inside, where he was greeted warmly.

Where Wrecker swooped them in the softest of hugs.

Where Echo squeezed their arms as comfort.

Where Omega dove into their guts to show them her most recently discovered video.

Where Hunter smiled genuinely at Crosshair for the first time in years.

Crosshair led Tech to bed hours later, when the drinks had sapped their energy, and the house was filled with snores. Crosshair tucked Tech into bed, bags packed and alarm set.

Tech was already asleep, curled up and snoring. "Night, Tech'ika." Crosshair whispers. "I'll be here when you get back. Promise."

Crosshair slept through Tech leaving, so did everyone else.

Crosshair wishes he didn't.

Barely three weeks later, when Crosshair had found the time to be home with his siblings, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" Crosshair grumbles from the stairs. There's a chorus of thanks, and Crosshair pulls the door open.

Fives is at the door. He's crying. Why is he here? Why is he crying?

"Cross," He starts slow. "Hey. Is everyone home?"

Crosshair hates that the first thing he zones in on is the dog tags and bags. He recognises the bags immediately.

He helped pack them, after all.

"Crosshair." Fives voice is distorted. "Is Hunter there? Echo, maybe?"

When he spots the digits on the tag, Crosshair feels like someone hit him with a truck. All the air is sucked out of his lungs, and he locks up.

Those are Tech's. Tech never takes his tags off.

He snatches the tags from Fives's hands. Even through already blurring vision, he can make out the last digits as easy as breathing.

9907.

The confirmation is like a bomb going off, a wave of heat gripping his heart tight.

Tech is gone.

Crosshair stares at the tags, numb, as Hunter wanders towards them. "What's going on?" He asks. "Fives? What, you moving in with those bags?"

"I wish." Comes the distant reply from Fives. "Look, Hunter—"

"Tech's dead."

Crosshair doesn't realise he's spoken until the words have already tumbled from his mouth.

Hunter stares between them, glances to the bags, then to the tags clutched tightly in Crosshair's hands, and it clicks.

Crosshair can't hear over the ringing in his ears. Hunter's tearing through the bags, demanding answers. Echo is quick to join them, asking Fives what's happened, why is Hunter screaming?

Wrecker hangs back with Omega, watching the door. All Crosshair can do is stare at the tags. Tech's tags. He almost doesn't believe they belonged to him.

Crosshair swore he'd be here, it never once occurred to him his younger brother wouldn't be.

Hunter's reduced to sobs. He's knelt on the floor, surrounded by the bags he picked up for Tech to pack, clutching some assortment of clothes as he weeps.

Echo's standing over him, voice sharp as he snaps questions at Fives. His twin doesn't have any answers.

Omega stands beside Crosshair now, daring to touch his leg. He barely glances at her, and she turns to Wrecker, asking muffled questions.

Wrecker doesn't answer her. No one does.

Crosshair slides to the floor, curls up into himself, and clutches the tags close to his chest.

It's deathly silent.

Hours later, after the sun had set and the other had picked themselves off the floor and had congregated in the living room, Crosshair was still sat against the wall, curled over the tags.

Hunter sat down next to him, wordlessly, and they stayed close. Silent, still, but close. Crosshair wouldnt have known he was there had he not heard Hunter's quiet sigh as he settled.

They didnt speak, just sat close enough to know the other was there.

Teehee a little bit of pain while I set up a good explanation and some Hunter and Crosshair talk for you (: hope you enjoyed :D

#i uh #didnt really like this #but thats alright #sw the bad batch #tbb tech #tbb crosshair #tbb wrecker #tbb hunter #tbb echo #tbb omega #sw modern au #it skips a bit ahead from the dinner one i wrote #ill have to post them separately

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