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just-here-with-my-thoughts · 2 months

Note

Loved the birthday cake fic

Pretty please may I request some brotherly fluff in the form of Crosshair plaiting Hunter's hair?

idk how to spell sorry if that's wrong

Heya! Here you go... 2k of lead in for 150 words of hair braiding ^^;

Hair Braiding for @ninjadeathblade

Fandom: The Bad Batch Characters: Hunter, Crosshair, Omega Word Count: ~2525

Synopsis: Nothing but sweet, tooth-rotting, brotherly fluff. Beach days and hair braiding on Pabu.

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Crosshair closed his eyes, relaxing into the soft sand floor of the cove and letting the sun-warmed grains spread their tingling heat to his bare back. The afternoon sun was at the peak of the day’s temperature, beating down with a warmth that permeated to his core and for once chased away the near-perpetual chill he felt. His brothers had always joked that he ran colder than them, but after his long stints alone on Kamino, Barton IV, and Tantiss, he couldn’t deny that it sometimes seemed like he felt cold regardless of the weather on tropical Pabu.

He didn’t get to enjoy the relaxation for long. A hard thump startled him as a bottle landed on his abdomen, making him jerk upright. He grabbed at the offending item, a bottle of sun-lotion thrown at him by a grinning Hunter.

“Better top up if you’re planning to bask,” his brother quipped. “Otherwise you’ll burn to a crisp.”

Crosshair grumbled and unstopped the bottle, squeezing a slug of cream onto each of his limbs before rubbing it in. Hunter was performing the same ritual on Omega, the girl practically bouncing on her toes as she waited impatiently for him to finish.

“Then we can swim, once we’ve got sun lotion on?” she asked, glancing longingly at the sparkling blue ocean.

“Yes, then you can swim,” confirmed Hunter with an indulgent smile. Omega lifted her hair from the back of her neck, letting him spread the lotion evenly over her skin, then giggled as he flicked a smear of the stuff onto her nose before rubbing it in across her cheeks.

“Race you to the water!” she shouted, and was off like a shot the moment he was done.

“Omega, wait!” yelled Hunter after her, gesturing helplessly. He glanced at Crosshair for support. “Can you keep an eye on her until I’ve done my lotion? Make sure she doesn’t go in the deep water.”

Crosshair grunted and heaved himself up, squeezing a generous helping of the lotion into his palm before tossing the bottle back to Hunter. He smeared the stuff over his chest and back, reaching up between his shoulders to make sure he was fully coated. Hunter was more tanned than him but even he was careful in Pabu’s sun, and Crosshair’s paler skin was prone to burning.

Casting his gaze about the sheltered cove, Crosshair pretended not to see where Omega was crouched behind their boat, waiting to ambush him. They had sailed in on the small craft early this morning, pulling it up onto the sand out of reach of the tide, before they had spent the day exploring the far side of the island.

Crosshair had made a show of protesting the choice of activity, then allowed Omega to win him round to it.

The glow of Hunter’s smile when he agreed to join them made it worth it.

Now he deliberately turned away so that Omega could leap onto his back, legs locking round his waist and arms around his neck as she pressed her giggling face into his ear.

“Gotcha, Crosshair!”

He reached up and easily flipped her over his shoulder, grabbing her at the last moment to slow her fall so that she hit the sand softly. She scrambled back to her feet, still laughing, and tore off towards the sea.

A small smile twitched at the corner of Crosshair’s mouth as he set his feet into the sand and launched into his own sprint. With his long legs he caught Omega easily, swinging her up and around and dumping her unceremoniously back to face the wrong direction. Then he overtook her, his speed increasing as dry sand became damp near the water’s edge, until he splashed up to his ankles into the warm sea.

He turned back with a triumphant smile, arms folded across his chest, waiting for Omega to catch up to him. The girl was gasping when she did, doubled over as she laughed and caught her breath at the same time.

“You’re too fast, Crosshair,” she half-scolded, bending down to flick water up at him. “It’s not a fair race!”

“It’s fair when you race Hunter? You started before he was ready.”

“He lets me have a head start!”

Crosshair glanced back up the beach to where Hunter was stowing the sun lotion with their packs before heading to join them. “Lets you,” he said with an eye roll. “Sure.”

By the time Hunter reached them Omega was happily splashing about, practicing messy swimming strokes. Crosshair hadn’t ventured any further into the water, content to stand and watch, keeping his gaze fixed on Omega as his brother came to stand by his side.

“She’s like you,” he commented, tilting his head a little as he spoke.

Hunter glanced up at him. “How do you mean?”

A wry grin. “She’s never going to beat me in a flat race.”

Crosshair staggered as Hunter shoved him, almost flailing forwards into the water. He rounded on his brother, dashing water up the same way Omega had earlier, but Hunter tackled him with full force and sent them both sprawling into the shallows.

Old combat training was hard to ignore, and Crosshair kicked his feet up under Hunter’s body to send him flying over his head and into the deeper water. Omega squealed and splashed out of the way as Hunter crashed near her, and Crosshair rolled to his feet, running a hand through his hair to brush the warm saltwater from it.

Ocean water. Warm, and welcoming, and fun. How different their lives on Pabu were to their early days on Kamino.

Crosshair shook his arms out next, droplets of water arcing in the sun. “What’s the point of sun lotion if you’re going to drench me and wash it off?” he grumbled, glaring at where Hunter surfaced beside Omega with his own long brown hair plastered to his shoulders.

Hunter merely grinned and turned to Omega. “Ready for your swimming lesson, kid?”

Crosshair smiled to himself as the two of them took off, Hunter’s strong brown arms cutting cleanly through the water, Omega splashing a little more erratically as she tried to keep up. The former sniper turned and ventured back up the beach, finding a warm, dry patch of sand to settle down on again.

For a while he sat with his elbows resting loosely on his knees, watching his siblings at play in the water. Something strange tugged in his chest as he did so – something welcome, a little bit light, a little bit painful, an ache of longing and belonging that he was learning to sit with comfortably now.

Things had changed. A lot. But if this was where they were settling, he could be happy about it.

Eventually he laid back, finding his comfortable basking position again, and closed his eyes. Then all he watched was brightness as the sun danced over his lids, feeling the soft scrape of sand against his skin and scalp as he nestled into his warm position.

Omega and Hunter’s laughter carried softly above the sound of lapping water and the distant calls of seabirds. A gentle breeze moved the fronds of nearby trees, and tickled pleasantly across Crosshair’s skin. Despite Hunter dunking him into the water his shorts were drying quickly, and his skin was already dry and warm again.

It was so peaceful that Crosshair let himself doze.

“Cross.” Hunter nudged him gently. “Ready for dinner?”

Crosshair stirred slowly from his pleasant nap, detecting the scent of wood-smoke and cooked food before opening his eyes. Hunter’s half-tattooed face was above him, inverted, hair hanging down loosely between them.

“’m coming,” muttered Crosshair, stretching the sleep from his limbs before sitting up. The sun was lower now, sparkling golden-red as it hovered much closer to the horizon. It was still warm, but the breeze from the water carried a little more chill and Crosshair shivered.

Without a word Hunter passed him his shirt and he pulled it loosely over his head, threading arms through and standing to follow his brother to the small campfire further up the beach. Omega was still in her swim-gear, wrapped in a fluffy towel, poking at the embers which gently cooked their evening meal. Hunter didn’t seem to mind the chill of early evening, still only in his swim-shorts.

Crosshair thumped down on one side of the fire and Hunter crossed to the other, sitting beside Omega. The heat that radiated from the fire was welcome, and Crosshair brushed sand from his hands and took the plate that Omega passed him.

“How’d the swim lesson go?” he asked, holding the plate steady as Hunter portioned their meal into it. The sweet aroma of baked fruits made his mouth water, and he tucked in the moment his was served.

“Crosshair, wait for ours,” Omega complained, but he only grinned and made a show of taking another succulent mouthful.

“Swimming was good,” Hunter told him, handing Omega her plate before dishing his own. He was a little breathless, making Crosshair wonder if he had been back into the water after sending Omega to watch the fire. His hair dripped rivulets of water down his bare shoulders and chest, and Crosshair decided his theory was probably correct.

“I can do back-stroke now,” Omega told him proudly, grinning up at Hunter.

Hunter’s smile softened and he ruffled Omega’s drying hair. “You did good, kid,” he praised, and Crosshair’s heart tugged at the glow of affection between them.

Crosshair gestured towards their small boat. “Guess I get more legroom on the row home, if you’re swimming alongside the boat,” he teased, and Omega stuck her tongue out at him. Hunter only chuckled.

“Are we rowing back after we’ve eaten?” he asked, looking to where the sun shimmered above the water.

Omega made a dismayed noise. Crosshair glanced at her, then turned his sharp gaze on Hunter.

“Seems a shame to waste such a clear night,” he said, his tone nonchalant, the way he held Hunter’s eyes anything but. “You two head back if you want. I might stay out.”

“If Crosshair’s staying, I’m staying,” said Omega firmly, turning to Hunter with a flash of stubbornness.

Hunter shook his head with a rueful smile. “Guess I’m outnumbered,” he said, tucking Omega under his arm for a hug. “Good thing I brought camping gear.”

Omega squeaked with delight and wrapped her arms round Hunter, returning his half-embrace with her whole-hearted one. Then she was off, abandoning her meal to run down to their boat and search the storage compartment for the camping equipment she hadn’t known they had.

“You spoil her,” said Crosshair drily.

“Like you’re any better.”

A fleeting flicker of affection passed over Crosshair’s face as he watched Omega “I don’t know what you mean.”

The moon gleamed silvery-blue on the rippling water, highlighting the crests of waves that the night breeze chased gently onto the sand. The air was full of the chirp of insects from the grass-tufted cliff that ringed the cove; the occasional lonely caw of a seabird that had yet to roost joined their chorus.

Hunter let out a soft, contented growl as Crosshair scratched his fingers into his hair, running his nails over Hunter's scalp. He was lay with his head in his brother’s lap, body stretched out long in the sand beside the dying warmth of their campfire. In the small tent behind them, Omega was already asleep.

Smiling softly to see his brother so relaxed, Cross pulled at the long strands of his hair, still slightly damp from the ocean.

"You should cut your hair."

Hunter kept his eyes closed but bared his teeth in a dangerous smile. "Not happening. I like it long."

Crosshair huffed a laugh, raking his fingers through the lengths. Since settling on Pabu Hunter's hair had grown out, curling down past his collar. When it had been wet from their swim, it had reached half-way down his shoulder-blades.

"I bet you didn't bring a comb," he continued, teasing knots from Hunter's mane. "If you sleep with it like this it’ll be a nightmare to deal with in the morning."

"So do something about it," said Hunter, a sleepy challenge accompanied by a yawn.

Crosshair snorted softly and continued combing his fingers through Hunter's hair, making sure to stop and attend to any tangles that caught. Hunter merely dozed contentedly, head relaxed back into Crosshair's lap and eyes hooded to slits.

"Sit up," Crosshair demanded after a while, tapping Hunter on the shoulder. His brother opened his eyes and grumbled but did so, looking at Cross inquisitively.

"No, with your back to me," Crosshair said, pushing at Hunter to turn him. Once he had shifted into position Crosshair raked his hair smooth once more, then portioned it into three thick strands and carefully began to weave.

Hunter chucked, bringing one hand up to brush his fingers over the base of the plait. "Where did you learn to do this?" he asked. Crosshair ignored him, deftly braiding the strands together before tying off the ends with a small knot.

"There," he said with a hum of satisfaction. "Now it won't tangle."

"Feels weird," Hunter complained, resting his back against Crosshair's front, head reclined on his shoulder.

Crosshair didn't reply, just smoothed his hand over Hunter's hair once more. Before long Hunter had gone heavy against him, lulled into relaxing as Crosshair absent-mindedly continued to stroke his hair.

“You can sleep,” Crosshair murmured, words barely more than a breath by Hunter’s ear. “I’ll keep watch.”

Hunter tilted his face sleepily into Crosshair’s neck. “We’re not soldiers any more,” was his whispered reply. “You don’t have to keep watch.”

Crosshair’s hand stilled, his body tensing. Hunter flickered his eyes open, a quick glance at his brother, before nudging his head back under his hand to prompt Crosshair to resume his ministrations.

“Teach me to braid hair?” he asked after a while, a soft, embarrassed plea.

Scrunching his fingers into Hunter’s hair, Crosshair shook himself from his thoughts with a dry chuckle. “You just said it feels weird?”

“So I can braid Omega’s.”

The puff of Crosshair’s breath tickled Hunter’s ear. “Sure. Why not.”

A lull of silence. Crosshair felt his thoughts grow hazy, sleep tugging at the corners of his senses. Hunter was right. No need to stay awake through the night.

“Crosshair?”

“Hmm?”

“Thank you. For helping me with Omega.”

A thin smile pulled at Crosshair’s lips. “Kid’s had a good day.”

“Because you joined us for this camping trip.”

Fingers stroked gently through Hunter’s hair. “You’re doing well with her. You make a better big brother than you did a sergeant.”

Hunter reached one hand up, lazily rubbing his palm over Crosshair’s coarse silvery hair. “I had a good role model.”

Crosshair swatted his hand away, but his pretence at disgruntlement was belied by his smile. “You’re getting soft.”

A yawn and a stretch. “I… think I’m okay with that.”

Crosshair’s smile turned tender as he wrapped his other arm round Hunter’s chest, holding him close.

“I think I am too.”

#the bad batch #tbb fanfic #tbb hunter #tbb crosshair #tbb omega #hunter and omega #crosshair and omega #hunter and crosshair #brotherly love #sibling bonding #hair braiding #this is the softest version of crosshair i've ever written #beach days #pabu #and they all lived happily ever after #manifesting happy endings for these three