say hello to crossdad!!! :D i'm actually kinda proud of this; i hope you love it just as much!

***

Trips to the market were Omega's favourite Saturday morning activity. Bustling with buyers and vendors alike, the square was alight with the tinkling of money, the chattering of the crowd, and the scent of exotic dishes from all over the galaxy. The little girl relished these outings, always on the move as she dashed from stall to stall, scouting for a cool new collectible to bring home.

Usually, Tech and Wrecker went for groceries while Echo went for ship maintenance parts, leaving Hunter and Crosshair to keep an eye on Omega.

This week, however, was different. Echo had asked for Hunter's help carrying the bags full of parts — the Marauder would need more repairs than normal after a close call on a mission — so with a nod, the sergeant fell into step with Echo, entrusting Omega to Crosshair for the time being.

Though initially reluctant to let go of Hunter's hand, she was quickly awed by the unique trinkets on display and the anxiety of being separated from her dad was soon pushed to the back of her mind.

The two of them strolled through the market with ice cones in hand, stopping only occasionally when something caught Omega's eye. She'd chatter away about anything and everything as they walked, so much so that she nearly talked Crosshair's ear off.

But to his surprise, he found that he didn't mind.

Had it been anyone else, a piercing glare would've long been thrown their way to shut them up; with her, he was happy just to listen, but he caught himself watching her more often than not. She was mesmerizing. Her entire demeanour lit up as the words tumbled from her mouth. The way her voice rose and fell animatedly, the way her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm, and the way her radiant smile punctuated each sentence, were enough to draw anyone in, and the gestures she made with her hands only added to her charm.

He observed the girl, captivated by how she so effortlessly sprinkled in the extra information she'd learned from the vendors. It was in these moments that the acute realization began to dawn; through their shared passion for knowledge, the same boundless curiosity — she was almost a carbon copy of a younger Tech.

That thought brought the faintest of quirks to his lips as they walked on.

***

Noon was steadily inching closer, and by the time Omega and Crosshair reached the final stall before lunch, every step felt like dragging lead weights. The scorching heat of the sun's rays only made matters worse, and the marksman had more than half a mind to threaten to cancel the rest of the shopping trip if she didn't take a break first. Before he could even open his mouth, though, the young girl brightened, her gaze having landed on a small and colourful stand snugly nestled between two larger ones.

"Omega, wai-"

The words dried up in his throat. She was long gone, and there was nothing he could do to stop her anymore. She was stubborn — Crosshair knew that better than anyone (save perhaps Hunter) — and that fiery spirit was both a blessing from the Maker and a thinly-veiled curse.

The slow exhale that crept out his nose was accompanied by a light, nearly imperceptible shake of the head. Frustration simmered just beneath the surface and threatened to spill over, but he forced himself to breathe, willing the tension to dissipate.

Right now, he decided, it was very much a curse.

There was no changing her mind once it was set, and Crosshair knew based on the determined glint in her expression that this mission would be seen through to the end. Her fingers skimmed over the vials and palettes before eventually coming to a stop on a small, palm-sized disk. With the transaction complete, it wasn't long before Omega was once more tugging at his hand.

"Crosshair, could you help me with something?"

Despite himself, his curiosity won over. "What is it?"

And so, when she leaned in and whispered her idea in his ear, his brow raised ever so slightly in understanding. They found a quiet spot soon after, and Crosshair got to work right away. After dipping his fingers into the disk of charcoal grey face paint, he carefully began to sketch the outline of a familiar half-skull onto her face. The paint felt cool and slightly gritty against her skin, but Crosshair's touch was surprisingly soft, making sure not to hurt or cause her any discomfort. Each stroke was gentle as it was precise, the tender and quietly affectionate gestures belying his stern outward appearance. His focus never once wavered, and Omega, for the first time, fully recognized her youngest brother's compassionate side as her eyes fluttered shut.

Her mind wandered while he worked. It wasn't just about the paint, she realized, it was about his dedication to even the simplest of tasks that revealed a side of him she rarely got to see. She thought about how each of her brothers expressed their love in different ways; Wrecker with his boisterous, bone-crushing hugs, Tech with his meticulous explanations, Echo with his steadfast presence, Hunter with his protective nature and soft smiles, and now Crosshair, with his silent devotion.

She felt two fingers lightly smear more paint across her cheek, and gratitude swelled in her chest. His actions were foreign no longer, and they spoke louder than words ever could.

"So," Crosshair began, breaking the comfortable silence, "ready for lunch?"

She examined his handiwork in the disk's little mirror, and her smile was nothing short of radiant. "It's perfect," she beamed, throwing her arms around his neck. "Thank you, Crosshair."

For him, looping an arm around someone's shoulder had never felt so natural.

***

Even without their distinctive armour, the Batch was still easily recognizable. They spotted Wrecker right away, and he brightened visibly when he saw the two stragglers making their way over.

"Good to have ya back," he boomed, crushing them both in a bear hug as soon as they were within reach. "we've been waitin' forever for you two. Let's eat, cuz I'm starvin'!"

Omega giggled at Wrecker's antics, and as she dropped onto the seat beside Hunter, she grinned at the astonishment written all over his face. "What do you think?"

He was quiet, his lips parting slightly to speak, but no sound came out. It was the whirlwind of pride and affection that shone in the depths of his amber irises that told her everything she needed to know, conveyed the words he couldn't bring himself to say.

As if trying to commit every detail, no matter how small, to memory, his gaze roamed over her tattoo, softening as his hand rose to cup her unpainted cheek. "It's perfect, kid. You look just like me, now."

She melted into his touch with a contended sigh. "Would that really be so bad? I think not."

***

IM SO SORRY  THIS TOOK SO LONG TO POST. my motivation died a little and also, i was trying to flesh out dynamics and personalities so my writing would be as canonically accurate as possible. hopefully i did that well!

you'll also steadily be seeing more of the other batchers as well as i get more comfortable w them, so def smth to look forward to!

anyways! what did we think?? pls leave ur thoughts, i'd love to know :):)

love,
jazzy

p.s.: if you saw my announcement, i'm gonna have very limited wifi for the next 2-3 weeks or so if i disappear for awhile, that's why. but ill do my very best to grind chapters regardless and post them whenever i get a chance to :)