this. chapter. was. a. must. enjoy!!

***

The dying rays of the setting sun cast a soft glow over Pabu as the last hints of day faded away. The team was beginning to settle into their evening routines as they prepared for bed.

Hunter had always found cleaning his armour calming, the mundane repetitiveness of the task giving his frayed nerves a chance to settle, and tonight was no different. As his rag removed the last of the grime, he heard the telltale pitter-patter of feet approach.

Omega's heart was beating quicker than normal, like a mockingbird flapping its little wings, and the corner of her bottom lip was caught between her teeth as she looked on anxiously. "Hunter? Could I talk to you?"

He looked up, curious. "Sure, kiddo. What's on your mind?"

She took a deep breath, fingers nervously playing with the hem of her shirt. "I've been thinking about something I stumbled across online. It's about this day called Father's Day, which is a special occasion to... show how much we love and appreciate our fathers or father figures."

Hunter listened attentively, already realizing how important this was to her. Her apprehension was evident, but the fact that she had chosen to talk to him about it despite her nerves filled him with pride.

"And, um, I have something for you." She continued, looking anywhere but at him. Handing him a neatly wrapped package, she added, "I hope you like it, I'll explain once you open it."

He observed the object in his hands — it was thin, rectangular, and wasn't very heavy — so while the options as to what it could be were cut significantly, he still had no idea what it was.

At her urging, the wrapping paper soon fell away, revealing a... black book?

"Flip it over," Omega laughs shakily, "it's upside down."

What greeted his eyes was beautiful swirls of charcoal grey, silver, and red, and right in the middle, sat a simple white skull that tied it all together. No description would ever come close to doing it justice; it was nothing short of stunning, and that was the only passable descriptor he could think of.

Hunter's gaze roamed all over the design, memorizing every little detail before flitting up to meet Omega's.

"It's a customized journal," she said nervously. "It's just that I've noticed the efforts you make and the lengths you go to to keep us safe, and I think you underestimate the power of trust and communication. You made it clear since day one that we could talk to you about anything, anytime, but I've never seen you talk to us about how you're feeling." She set a hand on his arm. "Your feelings matter too. It's not good to keep them bottled up. We're a team, and looking out for each other is what teammates do. We're here for you like you were there for us, so talk to us. Tell us what's bothering you so we can help. But," she hesitated, "if you're not comfortable with that, you could write your thoughts down. That's what this journal is for."

Hunter's throat had suddenly gone very dry. Of course, his sweet, observant little girl had noticed and did all she could to fix the issue before he was even able to vocalize it. He shouldn't have expected anything less from her, but still, this... this was so much more than anything anyone had ever done for him. He tried to get words out to thank her, but his efforts were in vain; they dried up on his tongue before he could speak.

He must've been silent for longer than he thought because a sniff to his side snapped him out of his speechless stupor.

Hurt was written across every inch of Omega's lovely features, and she took a step back, completely oblivious to his inner struggle. "N-never mind. This was a stupid idea anyway, I—"

His hand latched onto her wrist before she could go any further. "No," Hunter rasped, finally having found his voice, "No. Omega, this is wonderful, I... I don't know what to say."

Doubtful eyes stared back at him. "...Really? You're not- you actually like it?"

"It's amazing," he said gently, "Thank you. It's... so much more than anything anyone's done for me."

"You deserve it, Hunter," she said earnestly. "You've done so much for me and the rest of the squad; returning the favour is the least I could do... even if it's not much." 

His eyes softened. "Omega, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. You do not owe me anything." It was spoken softly but the conviction in his voice was unwavering, and the corners of his eyes crinkled in one of those quietly affectionate smiles he reserved only for her. "Got it, soldier?"

The grin she sent back rivalled even the sunniest of summer days. "Sir, yes, sir!"

Hunter chuckled, threading a hand through her hair fondly. Omega melted into his touch. His arms looped around her shoulders, drawing her close with a comforting squeeze, and as her eyelids drifted shut, a contented sigh fell from her lips. "Happy Father's Day, Hunter," she whispered, "You're the best dad I could've asked for."

The heart in his chest swells, like the expansion of a galaxy full of so much love for her it takes his breath away. He had never imagined love like this could exist, but the little girl tucked snugly in his arms had unlocked parts of him he never knew were there, and it just made him love her so much more. His lips find the top of her head in a lingering kiss. "Being your dad is the best gift I could've received. Thank you for coming into my life, cyar'ika."

***

WOO guess who's writing oneshots instead of studying for exams??? (difficulty: impossible)

so yeah i have a bio final in 2 days, i've barely done any review and i have overdue work from other classes :D don't procrastinate guys :D

anyways!!

hi, hello, happy belated father's day!! ik i said this chapter would be hunter n crosshair centric, but i just could not resist writing this. i'll do my best to get that one out next; i have so many halfway finished drafts and i can be so indecisive on what to write next holy kriff

SO i gtg but as always, comment! vote! lmk ur thoughts and see yall soon! :D
- jazzy <3