Inevitable {Tech}

Chapter Seventeen: Together Again

After the initial shock, she quickly laced her arms under his and held him tightly. She rested her head against his chest and tried to flatten herself against him. Heart beating against heart, Tech inexplicably pulled her closer and held one hand flesh against her side and the other on the back of her head.

"It's proven that—that listening to someone else's heartbeat can have calming effects and lower anxiety," Tech stuttered. "I hope that it is sufficient-"

"Yes Tech," Cass laughed and sighed in relief. "This is very much sufficient." She rubbed her palms gently against his back, and soon he understood why hugs were so potent against negative dispositions. If it weren't for everyone watching, his eyes would have fluttered shut just as hers had and they could have stayed in that position for forever. He reluctantly pulled away, but reminded himself that he definitely wanted to do that again.

"I think you have a shadow," Cass leaned close to his ear and whispered jokingly.

Tech furrowed his brows and Cass pointed behind him. The newest recruit of the Bad Batch, a small blonde girl, stood in awe behind Tech.

"Oh," Tech turned and saw Cass' point of interest. "This is-"

"Omega," the girl answered for herself and grinned with a curt wave.

"You're gone for one day and you come back with a kid?" Cass chuckled as she looked to Hunter. Hunter only shrugged in response. She turned back to Omega and got down on a knee. "Well it's really nice to meet you. I'm Cassiopeia."

"Oh you're Cass?" Omega's eyes lit up and she looked between her and Tech, who was watching intently.

"You know about me?" Cass raised a brow and tilted her head curiously.

"Oh yeah Tech told me all about you-"

"It was quite a simple summary," Tech tried to intervene, he shifted nervously on his feet.

"Thirty minutes of rambling isn't exactly what I call simple," Echo mumbled under his breath, causing a silent chuckle from Wrecker and Hunter.

"And your hair is much more purple than he described," Omega patted Cass' head and playfully wrapped a curl around her finger.

Cass turned pink and bit her lip, then smugly looked to Tech. "Oh yeah? What else did he say?"

Tech's eyes widened a bit and Wrecker childishly giggled in the background.

"He said you were really interesting and smart and kind and...I asked him if you were pretty," Omega admitted indiscreetly.

"And what did he say?" Cass teased.

"Omega..." Hunter drew out her name in warning, but his tone wasn't rough enough for her to stop—for even Hunter was amused and wanted this to play out.

"He didn't really answer, which actually is an answer all in itself," Omega laughed and bounced on her heels. "But he got all red and blushy-"

Tech hurriedly patted Omega's shoulder and tried to turn her away. "Okay I think that's quite enough-"

"Aw, it was just getting good," Cut chuckled.

Cass stood up and glanced at Tech who was horribly flustered, his hands fidgeted at his sides. She gently grazed his arm and caught his attention.

"Thank you for the kind words, Tech," she whispered and his eyes darted around her face nervously, searching for the hidden meaning or teasing tone behind her words—something he grew accustomed to with his brothers. Yet she was truly sincere and this eased his mind, though his heart only raced faster. "I only wished I was there to hear them for myself."