Summer of Bad Batch
Alt Prompt: “You really think your going without me? Not going to happen”
Tags: fluff, overprotective dad Hunter, aged up Omega (just a litte)
Word Count: 900+
It was the break of dawn, the sun barely breaking the line of the horizon and Omega was awake. She had programmed her com to set itself off silently at the earliest point in the sun’s rotation. She wanted to get up and take a walk, to bask in the morning rays and the cool breeze.
She wanted a moment of freedom.
Ever since she had been saved by her brothers from Tantiss and destroyed the base things have been different. She was free, Hemlock was gone, and she was no longer being hunted. She was able to live a normal life here on Pabu. But since all of that Hunter has been protective. Super protective. Not once once their return and settlement on Pabu has Hunter let Omega leave his side. Everywhere she went he was close behind. Not letting her out of his sight for a second. He was like a Nanny Droid, hovering and crowding Omega. She couldn’t even go visit Lyana or Phee or any of her new friends without Hunter tagging along from a distance. He was constantly there.
Omega loved Hunter but she was beginning to get tired of his hovering. She felt trapped again. Smothered, like she was during her time on Kamino when Nala Se would never let her explore Tipoca City unless she permitted it.
And this is why she was waking up at the crack of dawn to go for a walk. Just a wall. Not an adventure, not somewhere new, not off the island. Just for a simple walk. Maybe even down to the beach they could see from the balcony of their home.
So, she pulled on her vest and leather jacket. Followed by her boots, which she laced up tight with a double knot, like she always did. And slowly she walked out of her shared rooms with her brothers. Tip Toeing over the wooden floors, trying not to kick anything, scuff her shoes or accidentally kick anything.
She got to the entrance of their home and was just about to open the door when she heard someone clear their throat behind her. She froze and cringed. Slowly she turned around and surprise, surprise; a crusty eyed, sleepy-looking Hunter was leaning against the hallway entrance wall.
“Omega, where are you going?”
He doesn’t just sound tired. He sounds exhausted. He looks it too. He looks older, the bags under his eyes were a scary shade of purple.
Omega’s eyes softened looking at her brother. She was frustrated by his hovering, but she couldn't fault him for caring. She just wished he wouldn’t put his own health on the line to take care of her.
She had lots of energy, lots of new prospects in life and so much she wanted to learn and do. But Hunter was slowing down; he didn’t have to look over his shoulder every 5 seconds, he didn’t have to be alert and aware of his surroundings on a planet-wide scale. He could take things slow, breathe longer, deeper. A
t least he could if he constantly wasn’t putting all his remaining energy into being Omega’s watchdog. Their energies didn’t match up but Hunter couldn’t relax. He had to keep her safe. He had to protect her. He didn’t know if he could take losing her again. So her safety came before his health. No question
“I’m just going for a walk. Today felt like a good day to do it”
“And you thought you would sneak out at the break of dawn instead of going in the late morning. You really think you're going without me? Not going to happen."
“Hunter-“ she hesitates ‘-I want to go on my own”
Hunter stops before he could even turn around to go grab his boots
“But what if something happens to you? I can’t take that risk”
Even to his own ears he sounds paranoid, but he can’t help himself. He can’t lose another sibling.
“Hunter, you don’t need to be my bodyguard. Nothing is going to happen to me here” She knows why Hunter is so protective of her, in his shoes she wouldn’t blame him. But she isn’t and she is getting tired of it.
“Omega-“ but she cuts him off
“Hunter please listen to me. I know what’s happened in the last few system rotations. But Hemlock is gone, the Empire doesn’t know about me with Hemlock gone. Pabu is quiet, secluded, off the holo-map. Nothing is going to happen to me again. You can’t keep hovering over me the way you do. It’s not good for you and it isn’t for me” She sighs “I know you care about me. And I never want to lose you guys again. But I can’t live with you constantly looking over your shoulder for me”
Hunter closed his eyes and he had to breathe deeply for a moment. He knows what he’s doing but he’s afraid; Omega is part of the squad, she is their sister, their kid.
He thought he lost Crosshair, he lost Tech, he couldn’t lose her too. If something happened to her again, he didn’t think he would make it this time. But he couldn’t keep going like this. He knew she was right.
“Hunter I am finally free, from the Republic, from the Empire. But the way you smother me makes me feel like … like I’m back on Kamino, with Nala Se”
And that sentence settles it for Hunter, it breaks his heart, but he knows he has to let go now. He takes in a shuddering breath, sighing as he lets go of the air. His shoulders sag and his legs feel heavy
Omega’s eyes soften and she walks to Hunter, wrapping him in a warm embrace. She was almost eye height with Hunter now, able to wrap her arms around his shoulders if she stood on her tip toes
“Love you too kid, now get outta here”
