#KIDDIE GLOVES OFF | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

nozomijoestar · 1 month

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you reblogging so much of shin megami tensei got me back on playing the game i had for a while (smt5) but i'm really curious what the one ur reblogging is about

I want to play four (the one with the samurai) if that's the one you mean but if you mean three then that's Nocturne and I'm playing it now. You play a guy who with his two friends is spared the apocalypse but are left to all fend for themselves in the world after, infested with demons because the people that ended the world wanted to bring about the process of creating a new one. Instead of dying immediately in what's effectively now a waiting room with everyone from Heaven, Hell, and myth, the player is saved because some kid (won't spoil his identity) who's part of these forces likes you and makes you swallow a parasite. You become half human half demon. Because you're now half demon you get excluded from being able to make a Reason ie. come up with an idea for a world to replace the old one, then get sponsored by a demon to fight in the struggle to make your Reason the new world. But being excluded from making your own allows you to choose what Reason you'll sponsor and champion into existence, or you can reject all of them, or you can leave the world to be solely for demons. Among other routes.

It's demonic pokemon just like other mainline SMT in a philosophical thought experiment, because the only way to gain party members is by fighting then talking to demons to collect them. I just really like the different Reason philosophies and how they interact and what happens when you reject them all; I like what the game is trying to say about what defines a human being, even if they get made demonic, really what's the difference between a human being and a demon at all and so on. It's not very character driven, characters are more a representation of the themes, commentary the game is making etc. and implications of where those intersect or what's implied but in this case I think that's fine. The music is bangin and the atmosphere is fantastic. I know it has a reputation for being hard but so far I don't care when it'll get hard for me, the combat is fun; getting absorbed in everything else is the real reward. And I love Demi-Fiend's tattoos that are more like his demonic veins. Really that was the first thing that always made me wanna play, his design.

How do you not find this cool

#Yosuga Reason and Freedom Reason make the most sense to me because either humanity should either take responsibility for our free will #or be exterminated to make room again for all other life on the planet if we can't and devolve into cleaning each other out #all the others are either temporary short sighted parts of humanity's problems or abandon it to death entirely which ig is also ok #there's also the one where you do choose to be a pawn but in the long run what's being a pawn getting you tbh #and by just ok on the others is i mean i think the coin toss between favoring Yosuga or Freedom is more interesting here #'but why like Yosuga at all-' listen if something's not working it's not working that means you do the practical thing & eliminate it #i am not wishy washy kiddie gloves when it comes to humanity as a whole if we can't fix our shit w free will we have earned our destruction #extremely selfish to make everyone suffer living on the off chance something 'good' happens while we cause destruction & horror to ALL life #what is that really in clinging on to good things if not chasing pleasure for your fleeting gain and evil persists around or because of it #all truly is vanity #also I see zero difference between Yosuga social darwinism until we die out from reality as it is- minus the suppression of free will #we're already suffering Yosuga in a sense #if you can't use your free will for good and betterment for others esp those who can't use free will themselves and yourself then you die #sums up how i see getting to try Freedom vs / alongside Yosuga #might makes right is already exactly how the world works and how it always has worked #the entirety of human history to right now is who can kill and surpress the best to take from others- Yosuga just makes it obvious #and the sole principle to exist but it's already existed even in a world with free will and Freedom

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gooses-trenchcoat · 2 years

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KID. KID GLOVES. NOT KIDDIE GLOVES. KID. LIKE AS IN KID, THE MATERIAL. KID IS A DELICATE MATERIAL. IT IS TRADITIONALLY MADE FROM THE SKIN OF YOUNG GOATS ALSO KNOWN AS KIDS. IT IS A THIN AND SOFT LEATHER. PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD IT'S NOT THAT HARD TO GET IDIOMS AND METAPHORS RIGHT. WHAT THE FUCK WOULD KIDDIE GLOVES EVEN MEAN

#sorry i read kiddie gloves in a fic and just kinda #went off #but seriously it's not that hard to do some research and find out what an idiom actually is or means #like actually a lot of people get them wrong and there's no shame in googling them #otherwise this happens and maybe you feel a bit stupid #regardless think about how actually some people never understand metaphors so people getting them wrong like this doesn't help at all #like kid gloves makes sense because i know the above stated facts but kiddie gloves? bullshit #makes no sense will never make sense #because you made it up #it's fucking misinformation in a minor but very annoying way #apologies for the rant

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intheshadowsbehindyou · 7 months

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The Mercs take Y/N to a nearby carnival in the badlands

WARNING: Chaos ensues. Why the fuck would you take them anywhere?

Scout:

- He’s fine with this. He used to love going to carnivals. It was all him and his family could afford on weekends.

- You’re somewhat bothered by the heat but he’s resilient as fuck. “You want me to grab you some water, babe?” He doesn’t even wait for an answer. Returns in fucking milliseconds with water. You don’t know how he’s so damn fast.

- Sits on the fariswheel with you, he had planned this to be super romantic but he feels awkward. He tries to lighten the mood by standing up in the car and whacking his ball into the poor crowd of people. “Watch this. This is for you, babe.” The sandman ball hits a guy in the face and probably kills him. You’re pretty convinced he’s not alive anymore. “Home run!” He calls out. “Woooo!”

———————————————————-

Solider:

- EXCITED. EXCITED. EXCITED. If he were a dog he’d be wagging his tail. For all the wrong reasons. You know full well you’re in for a ride. It’s not a thrill ride.

- He takes the shooting games way too seriously. Gets mad when he doesn’t get the plush toy prize and pulls out his actual stock rocket launcher to rely on pure splash damage. (Where the fuck did he even hide that?) They’re forced to hand him his prize in fear for their lives.

- If you lose a game, he beats the shit out of the person running the stall. He insists it’s their fault and the game was rigged. Your shot is flawless.

- You leave him alone for TWO SECONDS and he’s already harassing a random bird on the fence he believes to be a Russian drone. Children are staring at him. You can’t take this man anywhere.

——————————————————————-

Demoman:

- He’s not used to this. He went to the Highland games as a kid. Never really had a carnival around his village. He experiences a bit of awe and intrigue as you walk the streets with him. He’s still in his vest and the people of Tuefort are heckling him. They know he’s one of those annoying mercenaries. He thinks this is fucking hilarious.

- He hates the food though. Eugh. He discovers pretty quickly he has a dislike for fried chicken. Insults America’s tastes to hell and back. Almost fucking vomits when he tastes the mac and cheese. What the fucking hell is wrong with you people?

- “Err.. Dontae think those rides are a bit dangerous?” He asks, jutting his thumb behind him. He doesn’t notice the kiddy rollercoaster breaking into pieces behind him followed by screaming families. He’s probably too used to that sound to process it coherently.

- Suspiciously eyes the men setting up the fireworks for tonight. He glares at them while sipping the cheap alcohol he begrudgingly bought at one of the food stalls. Nitpicks them for setting them up wrong. He sets them up himself but the fireworks nearly kill everyone. Turns out he made them more efficient. By that I mean deathly. “No, sweetheart. they’re FIREWORKS. FIREWORKS.” you tell his drunken stupid ass.

—————————————————————

Engineer:

- Oh fuck he’s excited. He had good memories going to carnivals as a kid. Eats like a fucking beast and doesn’t hold back. You watch this man consume more than his own body weight.

- Goes straight to the mechanical bull. Asks you to hold his cowboy hat he wore on the way here. “Sit back and let a big man like me show you how it’s done, darlin.” He doesn’t even fall off once. It looks like he’s barely even moving. He stands up on the fucking bull and flips off the last guy who ate shit on it. Embarrassing him in front of his kids.

- As you’d suspect he’s sort of insulting the lack of regular maintenance on the rides. Whilst in line for the Zipper he shakes his head like a disappointed father and scraps the rusted paint off the ride with his glove. Crushing it to dust between his fingers. Shakes his head some more and sighs.

- Congratulations. The state of these rides have broken this poor man. He can’t take it anymore. Take him to the petting zoo with the farm animals right now before he suffers a brain hemorrhage.

———————————————————————

Heavy:

- “What did little baby say about carnival?”

- He’s heard of carnivals in plenty of books but his life of isolation has prevented him from ever experiencing such a thing. The concept is almost alien.

- Well, he goes with you and he hates it. He looks like an incredibly discontent kitten the entire time. As you ride with him in all the kiddy rides, he looks even more pissed as he just so happens to break one of the rides upon sitting in it. The consequences of being a giant mass of muscle are truly unfortunate on this day.

- His face brightens up a little bit as you buy him a footlong sandwich. He’s never seen a sandwich this big before. He eats the entire thing within’ minutes.

- Finally you find a place in the carnival he somewhat enjoys but pretends not to. He hits the high striker so hard the bell fucking breaks and goes flying. He complains that this game is too easy — until he’s handed a cute little toy bunny of course. “I have been gifted rabbit?”

- Everybody is now batshit afraid of him.

———————————————————————-

Pyro:

- YAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- Bouncing in the car the entire way there. Miss Pauling had to drive you two there because Pyro doesn’t own a vehicle. She sighs in exasperation and asks pyro to“please quiet down, sweetie. Pauling is thinking.”

- You have a massive dog jumping off the walls of the car right now. They can’t sit still. Pauling is miserable. In other words, water is wet.

- Once she drops you off she makes you both swear to not catch anything on fire. It’s bad for business and doesn’t give them a good look. Pyro has no intentions of listening to her and heads straight for the fire eating performance. In their point of view; these people are somehow consuming rainbows.

- They do all sorts of things with you. Allowing you to lead the way to any attraction you felt drawn to. Whether it be trying to get dolls or getting on a ride. They seemingly want to do as much as possible before the sun goes down.

- after you tell them it’s late, they groan in despair but nod obediently. Prioritizing your guys’ shitty adulthood of work was sadly something that had to be done. They held your hand on the way back. Carrying a shit load of plush dolls in the other massive glove.

- “Did you two have fun?” Miss Pauling asks, you swear she puts on a motherly voice just for pyro. He excitedly claps his hands and agrees with her. She blinks though and sees the chaos behind you. You trace her gaze with confusion, wondering what she was gawking at. For some reason the entire carnival was on fire and you didn’t even notice on your way out that it spread to pretty much every corner.

- You both look back at Pyro. They’re holding a match. Of fucking course. Miss Pauling rubs her face. “I’ll call the firemen..” She sighs in defeat.

————————————————————-

Sniper:

- “Carnivals are stupid.” He says, a lit cigarette between his teeth. “Jus’ mediocre entertainment. Not even good. Believe it or not I have standards for my own personal pleasure as well. I’m not going to some stupid thick headed colonel sanders’ freakshow to eat hot grease n’ Emu legs.” You have to correct him that it’s technically turkey legs. “Whatevea mate.”

- You somehow manage to convince him anyway. But he was doing this only for you. He growls as you drag him by the hand onto the carnival grounds. Wishing he was back in bed. He glares at everybody who even dares breathe in his direction.

- He likes the farm animals well enough but quickly diverts his attention away in slight intrigue upon seeing the shooting gallery. You are thrilled and BEG him to win a prize for you. “There’s no way in hell i’m doing that, love.” You want to see this guy in action and the look of shock upon everybody’s faces as Sniper beats multiple children.

- Well.. Okay. But only because you keep inflating his ego with your compliments. He goes up, gives the person in charge his money, and brings the scope to his eye. Multiple kids are in the gallery next to him and missing every single shot on the fake cardboard animals. He mutters an insult to their ineptitude. He doesn’t even have to look to know they didn’t land a shot.

- Sniper takes down literally all the targets within’ seconds. Including the ones that the poor children were shooting at. Every. single. cardboard animal.

- The person running the stall begrudgingly gives him the biggest teddy bear they have. The Teddy bear that multiple families present were wanting to get in the first place. Kids are complaining and parents are complaining. Life’s suddenly great. Sniper looks amused at the amount of attention and cracks a smile at you. He wonders how you knew this would make him happy.

—————————————————————————

Medic:

- “Ack! what complete nonsense! I am far too busy of a man for such boyish games!” He acts dramatic about it. Crossing his arms and turning up his nose.

- “Yeah but— what if somebody dies on the broken ass rides? That’s like free organs right there.” You say.

- “Hoo. Well, you do have a point. Alright! I’m convinced. But only this once.”

- Medic is actually rather terrible at the gun related games. He can’t aim precisely. At one point you found a crossbow related game and he held his hand over his mouth in embarrassment. Realizing he had managed to hit everywhere but the desired target. You joke that hey— at least a life isn’t on the line this time. He passive aggressively slaps you over the head lightly with his glove and moves to the next game.

- You go to the bathroom and come back to see him dragging a bloodied dead body into his car. “Ah, I’d explain but it’s a rather long story!” he says enthusiastically. Accidentally holding up his equally bloodied ubersaw, and then immediately hiding it behind his back.

- He won’t go on the rides. He’s bold and brash but he isn’t an idiot. He knows full well those things aren’t structurally sound. He stands up tall in his usual thinking pose. A finger to his chin as he takes in the sight of the rides. “What are you thinking?” You ask him. He grins at you. That disgusting, devilish, i’m-making-an-evil-plan grin. You are now scared.

- He steals an entire fucking carnival ride for less than moral medical purposes. The ENTIRE FUCKING THING is in the back of his car and the car is chugging along. Wheezing and trying to get this thing back to the base. He’s going to break it apart and sow the parts onto a Frankenstein-like creature.

_________________________________________

Spy:

- Mother of god, can’t you guys go on a more relaxing date? One with less screaming, noisy music, and people? What about a nice five star restaurant? Or the park?

- He refuses to eat any of the food. At all. He’d rather starve in a ditch than eat such filth. Not even bothering with the alcohol. He avoids people like the plague and you’ll turn to ask him a question and WHOOOOSH! he won’t even be there until you reach your hand out and blink his invis watch by poking him. “Stop cloaking, pussy.”

- He literally begs you to choose another place. PLEASE. End his suffering. You swear you’ll find something here he enjoys though.

- You were standing in line for a ride and once you got to the front he had stepped out of line and said “Oh! after you.” In typical gentlemen fashion. Letting you go on the entire ride by yourself. You glare at him from the ride and he’s smirking mischievously. Waving his fingers to greet you.

- For the rest of the night he takes it upon himself to mess with you. You offer him some cotton candy and he hands it to a little boy in a stroller instead while nobody was looking. You saw that in the corner of your eye. “Im not fucking blind, Spy.” You say. He puts his hands behind his back innocently. “Oh, what? I consumed the wretched morsel like you asked!” “No, you didn’t Spy.”

#team fortress 2 #tf2 #spy x reader #medic x reader #demoman x reader #heavy x reader #pyro x reader #tf2 x you #tf2 x reader #sniper x reader #engineer x reader

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shokuto · 8 months

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What I really love about ATSV is how it’s a grand statement against Miles being handled with kiddie gloves or treated like a naive child who doesn’t know what he’s doing in his chosen path and needs to have it decided it for him. And I’m talking about how when he realizes Peter and Gwen kept spider society from him for his own good, the way one would protect a child, his exact words are “Who decides that? I’m not a kid, Gwen!”, and before that, when Peter tries to let him down gently about his canon event with a hand on his shoulder the way a parent would a child, Miles shrugs it off his shoulder and tells him directly not to call him one.

Hell, around the beginning of the movie Rio asks that he protect the little boy she and Jeff raised as he moves up in his chosen path, and the underlying message is that he’s moving up beyond where they can protect him because he’s not that little boy anymore.

I think if ITSV was about Miles becoming Spider-Man, ATSV/BTSV can be interpreted as Miles becoming a man, period

#Like yeah he’s not Spider-Boy he’s not Kid Arachnid he’s Spider-Man and he’ll let you know too #spiderman #miles morales #peter parker #peter b parker #gwen stacy #across the spiderverse #atsv

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ordinaryschmuck · 3 months

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David Zaslav is on the phone as he enters his office.

David: It's nothing personal, it's just business. But don't worry, once another buyer offers eighty million, you'll have your property back. Okay? Okay. Goodbye, Mom. Love you.

He hangs up and notices a package left on his desk.

David: Huh. That's peculiar.

He walks over and sees that it's addressed to him. With a shrug, he opens it up.

*WHACK*!

And gets hits in the face with a springy boxing glove.

***

A burlap sack is ripped off David's head. He looks around and sees he's in a form of a warehouse, with the only light being the shining above him. In the shadows, he hears a crunch of somekind.

???: Eh, *tsk-tsk* What's up, Doc?

Out from the shadows comes Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Yosemite Sam, and even Foghorn Leghorn. They do NOT look happy.

David: Who...Who ARE you? WHAT are you?

Sam: OOOOOOOOOOOH!

He pulls out his guns.

Sam: Now I KNOW y'all didn't just say that you--

Bugs waves a hand in front of Sam.

Bugs: It's okay, Sammy Boy. Can't blame da poor, dumb, foolish suckah. (To David) Do ya know who Mickey Mouse is, Doc?

David: Is...that who you are?

Daffy: Doeth he look like a MOUTHE, you buffoon?!

Bugs: Daf. (To David) Mickey's the mascot of Disney, YOUR competitor. Fer bettah or woise, he represents da company. And to dis day is the backbone dat made Disney what it is. As for me and my compatriots, dat's who WE are for Warner Brudders.

David: I-I'm the CEO of Warner Brothers DISCOVERY.

Foghorn: Which is, I say, which is the result of merging with WARNER BROTHERS, ya dumb pig! No offense, Pork.

Porky: N-N-No-No-No offense taken.

Bugs: (To David) Ya see, Doc, we're da Looney Tunes. Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Foghorn Leghorn, and Yosemite Sam. Ya see, while Walter was makin' the mouse dat would rule the world wid a goofy cartoon mouse that entertained the kiddies, we's was making some CLASS. Cartoons dat dee adults AND kids could appreciate, wid witty dialogue and cartoonish slapstick. Me and Daf, here? We made bank off a short where we discussed who got shot by Elmer Fudd, where da joke was ALWAYS Daffy getting hit.

Daffy: Took a lot of shotth to make that comedy gold. LIterally.

Bugs: And it worked. Wid a poifect simple premise dat people always remember, wid people going "Wabbit Season, Duck Season" to dis day. Dat's who we are, Doc...And ya messed it all up.

Sam: Ya messed with the WRONG pardners, Davie!

David: H-How? How did I mess with you?!

Bugs: Hey, don't feel too bad. Warner Brudders' have been messing wid us for years, but we always took it on the chin. Dey want us to do TWO basketball movies? Dey want us to get rid of Pepe Le Pew? Why not. He stunk anyway and we wanted him out for years. Dey want our iconic image for an animated sitcom? We did it. 'Cause we're da Looney Tunes. We can sell ANYTHING.

Porky: I-I-I actually l-l-li-lo-li-lo--Really enjoyed the sitcom.

Bugs: Okay, it can be argued dat da sitcom is criminally underrated, but dat's besides the point. What I'm getting at is dat we're willing ta sell anything just as long as we get some of dat green ourselves. But ya made a mistake, Doc. Ya see, you went after one of our own.

He makes a "come here" gesture, and both Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner come out from the shadows as well, with Road Runner comforting the Coyote.

Bugs: Pepe Le Pew is one thing. We understand that his sense of humor doesn't fit well wid dis day and age. But Wile? Oh brudder, why did ya have to mess wid him?

David: What did I do to him?!

Bugs: Coyote Vs. ACME. Ringin' any bells?

David: That...movie no one wants to buy?

Bugs: A movie ya overselled for a quick buck. A movie dat people worked night and day on. A movie written by James Gunn, yer golden boy who you have fixin' yer DC franchise.

Foghorn: Which is, I say, which is a whole DIFFERENT can a worms.

Bugs, ignoring him: A movie dat stars our very own Wile E. Coyote. A character who's toons and silly antics are timeless and, I'll admit, makes bank better than me. Wit no dialogue, just expressions and goofy signs, him and da Road Runner are characters where the possibility is limited by da power of imagination. And a movie where he sues ACME over their failed gadgets? Well, I'd watch that. Wouldn't you, boys?

The others all murmur in agreement.

David: Well, it might not make a profit--

Bug: Space Jam 2 made TWICE of what yer trying ta sell Wile's movie for. Ya would think that a man desperate to make money would release a film featuring their most iconic brand to get him MORE money. But, no, that's what a GOOD business man would do.

David: Please! I-It wasn't anything personal! I didn't even WATCH the movie!

The Tunes all stare at him.

Bugs: ...Ya didn't WATCH it?

David: N-No?

Bugs: You were willing to sell, shelve, and even DELETE a movie from existence because ya don't think it won't make a profit. Except ya nevah THOUGHT ta watch it yerself and make yer judgment?

David: ...Running a business is REALLY hard--

Bugs: You MAROON. You marooniest maroon that's ever marooned. I can't even comprehend how not only did you get yer job but how ya STILL have a job despite all da STOOPID decisions you've made in--How long has he been in charge?

Porky: A-A-A--Nearly t-two years, boss.

Bugs: TWO YEARS. Ya've been in charge for TWO YEARS and managed to cost da studio so much money that ya could compare it to da GREAT DEPRESSION! If Disney loses dat money, dey can make it back wid anothah Marvel movie or a live action remake of Moana! WE ain't Disney, Doc! We need every dime we get and we're losin' it because a YOU!

David: ...

Bugs: Honestly, we was initially thinkin' a beatin' the snot out a yous and leaking da movie to da public. But now? Woof. NOW I know yer as dumb as an animal. And an animal needs to be treated as an animal.

He pulls out a dog whistle and gives it a blow. Within seconds, a small, brown tornado bursts through a wall in the warehouse and zooms over to the group, stopping its spin to reveal The Tasmanian Devil.

Bugs: Have ya heard of the Tasmanian Devil, David? Who am I kidding, of COURSE ya haven't. Well, let's just say that he'd be happy to meet you.

Taz looks at David, licks his lips, and starts jumping for joy as he heads over to him.

David: No. No! NOOOOOOOOOOOO--

***

David stands before a press conference, clothes torn up and his body bandaged.

David: I am now announcing that I'm stepping down as CEO of Warner Brothers Discovery...And as my last act, I will release Coyote Vs. ACME to the public.

Reporter: And are you going to release Batgirl too?

David: Well, no, that movie's unreleasable--

A batarang lands in front of him.

David: ...Batgirl and Coyote Vs. ACME. Both coming soon...to a theater or streaming service near you.

#david zaslav #the looney tunes #looney tunes #bugs bunny #daffy duck #porky pig #yosemite sam #foghorn leghorn #wile e coyote #road runner #coyote vs acme #fuck david zaslav #sorry this is long #i had to get this off my chest

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techwrecker · 10 days

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Something ANGSTY and FLUFFY with CROSSHAIR (if you’re any good at that, ik some writers struggle in some areas)

For Her

Summary: Crosshair struggles with his PTSD from Tantiss that manifests in his hands.

Word Count: 2.6K

Warnings: Minor season 3 spoilers, no plot spoiling

Tags: angst, hurt comfort, light fluff

TW: mention of death, mention of character canon death, ptsd symptoms

A/N: this is probably more angst than fluff eheh... sorry ^^; I hope you enjoy anyways! If you see any grammatical mistakes, no you do not <3

cross-posted on my ao3 of the same name here

Crosshair’s hands didn’t shake when his mind was preoccupied. And right now, he was preoccupied by combat with his brother Echo.

Crosshair sat folded in concentration, elbows resting on his knees, mulling over the next possible Dejarik moves. Echo was sitting across from him, just as engaged as the sniper, though Crosshair couldn’t tell if his yawns were genuine exhaustion or a mediocre attempt to rush his turn. Either way, Crosshair wasn’t going to pass up a chance to win because somebody was trying to end the game quickly.

“C’mon, Cross. If you could manage a move during this rotation, I’d appreciate it.” The former ARC trooper quipped.

“Relax. I’m thinking,” he said in mild annoyance. “Nothing wrong with being careful and taking one’s time.” Crosshair hit a button on the board, causing the holo to shift as his character sauntered over and slayed Echo’s main player, leaving the match at a checkmate. “See? Patience is a virtue.” He said, smug with victory.

“Yeah, one of your only ones, too,” Echo shot back with a smile, pressing the shut-off button on the entertainment table. Crosshair couldn’t help the small smirk that crept onto his face. Echo stood up and extended his good arm out across the dark table for a handshake. “Good game, as usual, Crosshair.”

Crosshair took his brother’s hand, and they shook. As Echo walked away to his bunk, Crosshair sat back down, massaging his hand at the palm. His hands didn’t shake when his mind was thinking about a task at hand, but once it was quiet, it was all he could do to keep them still. He held his hands out in front of him, watching them twitch. He squeezed them into fists in an attempt to calm the shot nerves and shut them out from his mind. Crosshair leaned back into his chair and shoved his still lightly trembling hands deep into his pockets. This was not an attempt to keep them steady but rather if they were out of sight, they were out of mind. And for the most part, it worked.

It was unusual for the ship to be as quiet as it was. Hunter and Wrecker took Omega out to the Pabu market before it shut down for the day so they could grab some dinner for the crew. Since being informally stationed on Pabu for the past month or so, Wrecker had acquired quite an affinity for cooking and Omega was more than eager to help him. Each night, they came home with a new recipe from a local vendor. And before Eriadu, anybody within a 20 foot radius of The Marauder could’ve heard Tech’s tinkering, but ever since…

No. He wouldn’t think about that. He couldn’t. Not without completely breaking down. Crosshair was still a soldier. Whether he was tied to the Republic, the Empire, or to his brothers, he had to be strong. But, ever since Omega saved him from Mount Tantiss, from Hemlock’s unending torture, Crosshair had trouble finding it in himself to return to the steadfast man he once was. Things weren’t as black and white as he had once believed them to be. His brief loyalty to the Empire was misplaced, he knew that now. Maybe had he stayed true to his brothers, Tech would still be alive. He didn’t deserve that fate– nobody did. Not when Crosshair could have prevented it. Had he not chosen to be a “good soldier” for the Empire’s evil. Crosshair couldn’t help but feel like it was all his fault. Omega’s capture. Tech’s death. And the worst part was that they all held him with kiddie gloves, like he was made of glass, destined to shatter at any moment.

Crosshair could feel the headache coming. He stood up and opened the hatch of their home. The wind rushed in, whipping the scent of the salty sea around him. It was humid, but not oppressive. He hoped the fresh air would clear his mind. Making his way down the loading ramp and onto the weathered cobblestone of the island’s square, he could hear the people of Pabu in the lower levels starting to call their children in for dinner. Thankfully, due to pleasant weather, the market was taking place on the beach, far below where the Marauder was parked atop the island. The pinnacle was mostly empty, so Crosshair didn’t have to be greeted by the well-meaning citizens. He kept walking until he reached the lookout point not far from the ship.

The sun had already begun dipping into the vast, dark sea as it painted the sky in all its deserving beauty. Scattered across the strip of beach, Crosshair could see vendors beginning to flip on their candleorbs.

He pulled his rifle from behind his back and placed it into position against his shoulder as he’d done a thousand times before. Making sure the safety was on before pointing it down towards the beach, he peered into the scope, looking for his family. It wasn’t hard to spot the crew, as they were a stark contrast from the linen-clothed locals. That paired with Wrecker’s resonant voice, which could probably carry across the planet, made them easy to find.

Through the viewfinder, he could see Omega reaching into a basket for a fruit he had never seen before, her mouth moving. She turned around to show Hunter the new food and he smiled at her, dropping a few coins of the Pabuian currency into her free hand.

Crosshair didn’t realize he was smiling at the scene. He was glad she was safe now. Maker knows she deserved to be. Especially after everything the child had to endure.

He continued to trail the scope along until he found Wrecker, not far ahead. He was practically towering over all the booths. Crosshair tried to use the scope’s zooming feature to see what he was holding, but at such a distance, it was hard to tell.

The rifle began to tremble slightly in the sniper’s hands. He furrowed his brows in concentration and tried to hold his position as rigid as he could, but it was no use. He ripped his face away from the scope and held the rifle out in front of him in frustration. All he saw in his hands was his mistakes. He unlatched the scope and tore it from the barrel before brashly throwing it off the ledge of the lookout. Crosshair wouldn’t dare to damage his precious weapon, but he couldn’t bear to look at the scope any longer. Once he heard the distant clink of metal against the climbing stairs of Pabu, he laid the weapon on the stone wall, his hand lingering with regret for a second longer.

He turned back toward the Marauder and began to walk away. He didn’t want it in his sight anymore but, as a formally trained sniper, it was hard not to be in his sight. The very thing that he had found security in as a cadet now made him shameful. The very purpose he was created for was stripped from his identity without remorse by the Empire. What’s the use in having a weapon if you can’t protect your family?

Thankfully, as Crosshair approached the loading ramp, he could tell by the light snoring coming from Echo’s bunk, that his brother was napping soundly. He pulled out a toothpick from his chest pocket as he made his way to the cockpit. He didn’t like being alone so much anymore, so he lifted his feet up onto the dash, careful to avoid any switches that might start the engine and tried to follow in Echo’s footsteps for a nap.

He had just about nodded off when Batcher’s quick footsteps disturbed the quiet evening. Crosshair lifted a single lid and squinted out of the viewport and saw Omega riding atop Batcher, the pair headed for The Marauder. Besides clutching Batcher’s fur, she had a cylindrical object in her right hand.

Crosshair took his feet down and sat up to open the loading bay door for Omega.

“Cross!” She called frantically. “Cross where are you?”

“I’m here, Omega.” He said, meeting her at the door. “What’s wrong?”

She wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, burying her face into his torso. He gingerly laid a hand on her shoulder and knelt down to meet her at eye-level as she pulled away. She looked deeply into his eyes, her own filled with concern.

“I thought something had happened to you!” Her eyes had begun to fill with tears and her face started to flush pink.

“No, I’m alright. Why would you think that?” He asked.

Omega swiped at her tears with the back of her hand before offering up the scope he had thrown away. She opened her hand flat. The black metal was scratched and the glass inside had shattered. “I thought maybe somebody had taken you.”

Crosshair placed his hand over hers, wrapping her fingers back around the scope and lowering it in rejection. “No. I don’t want that.”

“What do you mean?” Omega said with a sniff.

“I can’t do that. Not anymore.” He said shortly. He didn’t want to bring up Tech. He didn’t want to explain his feelings of inadequacy to her. Not when she was the one who had saved him in the first place. It should have been him. He should have been the one to save her. He was pathetic and he knew everybody around him thought that, too.

“I understand, Crosshair.” She started. “You feel like you don’t have a purpose anymore. I used to feel that way, back on Kamino.”

She took his hand and they sat, leaning against the navicomp on the floor together. “I always wondered why I was different from the other clones. I wasn’t trained like everybody else, but nobody would explain my purpose to me.”

“Omega, I-“ Crosshair tried to escape the conversation.

“No, let me finish.” She interrupted, and he shut his mouth.

“All of you had a clear purpose. The Kaminoans designed you that way. But me? There was nothing special about me. I’m not a sharpshooter and I don’t have heightened senses. I’m definitely not as big as Wrecker and nobody is as smart as Tech was.’

Crosshair winced at the sound of his fallen brother’s name.

“But then I finally met you all, my brothers! And I realized what my purpose was. It may not be what they created me for on Kamino, but I know it to be true in my heart. My purpose is to protect my brothers. To protect you,” she explained.

Crosshair could feel the sting of his tears as they started to fall down his slender face.

“Omega,” he began softly, “I’m so sorry. For everything."

The tears wouldn't stop. She pulled him in for a hug and he let her. The two sat together as Crosshair silently let the emotions wash over him. And Omega let him. She knew Crosshair had not come to terms with everything he went through on Tantiss or with the Empire. But, she was observant and saw how his hands would tremble if he didn’t keep himself busy. She knew he needed this and she also knew he wouldn’t confide in any of their brothers like this. Even Batcher sensed something was wrong and came over to lay her head in Crosshair’s lap.

After a couple of minutes, Crosshair pulled away and straightened against the ship. He cleared his throat and looked down at Omega. She was smiling sweetly at him. Not with pity, but with understanding. With her signature kindness. Batcher hopped up and tried to lick his face, pulling them out of the moment.

“Batcher, that is truly disturbing,” Crosshair said in disgust as he tried to shove her off.

Omega laughed and Crosshair smiled.

“When did you get so wise?” He asked the young girl.

“Since I became a big sister!” She joked.

Hunter and Wrecker showed up not long after, arms full with their food supplies for the night. Wrecker had also managed grab a bag of Mantell Mix to split with Omega. If they didn’t have anything to munch on while making dinner, there would be no dinner to speak of.

“So, I guess you’re okay, then,” Hunter said, vaguely gesturing to Crosshair with his hand.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just… having a rough go of it, I suppose.” Crosshair answered. It was slightly more information than he would typically give away about his emotional state. Hunter knew well enough not to push him.

“Well good,” Wrecker chimed in. “‘Cuz I’m starving!”

“I’ll wake up Echo so we can get started!” Omega hopped up from the floor and rushed over to his bunk. The rest of the crew headed outside to start the fire.

The saturated colors of sunset were still stretched across the sky as the sun continued to pass behind the horizon. That was one of Pabu’s specialties. Due to the atmosphere and the reflections off the ocean, the sunsets lasted much longer than it did on any other planet the Bad Batch had ever been to.

Crosshair walked back out to the lookout once more to retrieve his rifle. He couldn’t leave it. For as much grief as it was giving him, he would always come back to it. He had no other choice. He slung it back over his shoulder and returned to the group to help prep their dinner.

As dinner waned into the evening, the stars crept upon the little family. They all crowded around the fire and told funny stories to Omega about each other from their time serving the Republic. And Echo had plenty from when he was still with the 501st. The little clone intentionally sat next to Crosshair during dinner to give him a prevailing sense of comfort over his anxieties.

“And so I said to Cross,” Hunter said, finishing his story between chuckles, “Cross, that’s a Tooka!”

The crew burst into laughter at the story.

“Did you really think it was a battle droid?” Omega asked her seatmate in disbelief.

“Unfortunately, yes...” He trailed off.

“Alright,” Echo began. “The fire is dying and we should probably head in soon. Hunter and I will clean up since Wrecker, Omega, and Cross made dinner.”

“Thanks, Echo!” She beamed at him.

“Yeah, thanks!” Wrecker said as he slapped Echo’s back in gratitude.

It was probably a little harder than he meant as Echo stumbled forward. He turned his head to give Wrecker a dirty look. The biggest batcher just shrugged sheepishly.

“Come with me, Crosshair. I want to look at the stars over the lookout.” Omega requested.

Crosshair picked up their dishes and handed them to Hunter, nodding in thanks. The pair made their way to the lookout point.

The stars were in full view, brilliantly shining in every color imaginable. This was something neither of them would ever get used to.

Crosshair held out his hand to Omega so she could climb onto the wall. She smiled up at him and took it gladly. She swept her legs over the side and tilted her head up to the sky, eyes wide in wonder. She kept her eyes on the sky but Crosshair was watching her.

He hadn’t ever been one to talk much, even before all the events that transpired, but he didn’t think he would ever find enough of or the right kind of words to tell Omega how thankful he was for her.

He lifted a leg over the wall and sidled up to his sister, wrapping his arm around her protectively.

Omega wouldn’t always be a child, and she certainly wouldn’t need her brothers to protect her forever. But, looking into the galaxy here, together, Crosshair resolved his new purpose. He would make the galaxy a safer place. For her.

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