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The Scomp Incident (One-Shot)

Surprise, here's another Echo ficlet! This probably has been done already, but it was stuck in my mind (Echo is currently stuck on my mind 24/7) so I wrote it anyway. Hope you'll enjoy it <3

Summary: whilst trying to comfort a struggling Echo, you unintentionally make things worse Rating: General Audiences Tags: struggling, insecurities, hurt/comfort, fluff, SFW Words: 1.375k Pairing: TBB Echo x gen!reader (with longer hair) Read this one-shot here on AO3

The last mission hadn't been too kind on the Marauder. On neither of you, but the ship had to be fixed before the lot of you could continue. The squad's injuries could just heal along the way.

Whilst Tech was in the cockpit realigning the navicomputer, Echo was outside, working repairs around the ship's hull. You were at his side, aiding him wherever you could.

“Could you hand me the fusioncutter?” he asked with a serious voice; his focus was on the parts in front of him, and he didn't avert his eyes. You silently handed him the tool and watched patiently over his shoulder as he used it to cut the damaged piece away from the panel.

The part, looking particularly fried, came loose, and Echo tossed it to the ground. “Alright, let's see..,” he mumbled. His forehead was wrinkled in a furrowed frown and his lips were pressed in a thin line. His nose and eyebrows would slightly twitch occasionally, his thoughts lost to you, as he was completely taken by the repairs.

A frustrated sigh when he struggled to replace the part. He needed one hand to put the replacing part into place, and another hand to tilt a different piece to make space. But the metal kept sliding from his scomp, he couldn't get a grip; it was no good, he needed two hands.

“Kriffing scomp..,” he muttered under his breath, and you could see the irritation on his face and a flicker of failure in his eyes. Time to step in; there was no need for this man to fret, because there was so much he was able to accomplish. He was the last person to question one's own inabilities.

You gently put a hand on his scomp arm and shot an understanding smile at him. “Here, let me help you,” you said softly. With a sigh, he reluctantly handed you the part and pointed to the space where it needed attachment. “I, er- thanks. Just wish I could do my own repairs,” he said softly; the disappointment in his voice wasn't lost on you.

Now that you held the part into place, Echo was finally able to start attaching it. He was using his scomp to get it right, before he could grab the micro flame welder to attach it for good. The focussed expression returned to his face, but you couldn't help but notice there was still some lingering frustration.

“You know you're allowed to ask for help, right?” you said softly to him. His gaze was still on his work in front of him, but you smiled at him anyway. “Didn't need to, before..,” he replied, his voice gruff and somewhat bitter. You shot him an apologetic look before you continued. “But you're part of a squad. We're supposed to look out for each other.”

He mumbled something unintelligible; you were right, but he didn't want to admit he wasn't able to do things the way he used to. Besides, everyone in the squad played their part and contributed; he couldn't keep them from their jobs because he wasn't able to accomplish his tasks.

“Echo-,” you started, leaning slightly sideways, ready to tell him he could always ask you for help, if he didn't want to bother his brothers. But you leaned too close; as Echo was using his scomp on the part in fullest concentration, your hair got caught in the rotating device.

You shot out a sharp cry and winced in pain; Echo stopped rotating his scomp as soon as he realised what was going on, but your hair was already tangled around it. “I-I-I’m so sorry!” he stammered, and you could feel his demeanour shift from bitter and frustrated towards torment and guilt. You had been trying to comfort him, to ease his mind, but you had managed the exact opposite.

He was blaming himself, of course; and the scomp he had already been cursing. “Echo, it's- argh- it's not your fault, I should've- ouch- been more careful,” you managed whilst attempting to free yourself, but it was no good. It felt like you were only making it worse; you could hardly see what you were doing.

The scalp below your tangled hair was throbbing from the violent tug it had endured. Twisting and turning, you ended up against Echo's chest. Although you felt a bit awkward, this ironically was the least painful position. You leaned your head against his chest plate in defeat.

Echo, not daring to move, cleared his throat. “I am so sorry for this, er- uncomfortable position,” he slowly said to you, and the slight quiver in his voice told you he felt even more awkward about it than you. You managed a chuckle before you continued. “There are worse places to get stuck,” you said jokingly, but really, you were telling the truth.

Since you were leaning against his chest, you could not only hear, but feel the heavy sigh that followed. “You're just saying that to make me feel better,” he replied, his voice a little less tense than before. “Everything I say is to make you feel better,” you smiled at him light-heartedly, but the smile was lost against his plastoid armour. But you managed to make him chuckle, which you could feel as well; a warm, rumbling feeling from below his chest plate.

“Am I such a mess?” he replied at last, whilst gently putting his hand on your scalp. He started massaging it very tenderly, trying to ease the pain his scomp had caused. You relaxed your muscles and your weight slightly shifted against him. “No, I would never describe you as a mess. I just like to see you feeling.. better,” you confessed after a moment of silence.

He chuckled again, and you could almost feel how his mood lifted at your words. At least you had managed that, by getting the both of you in this situation.

“Speaking about messes..,” he continued the conversation, slightly warily about his choice of words. “Is it that bad?” you winced gloomily. Carefully, Echo tilted your head to look you in the eyes, making sure to not hurt you any further in the process. “It ain't pretty,” he told you in all honesty, an apologetic smile adorning his face. You scoffed; despite the hurt, you were slightly amused by the whole incident.

“Guess I'll live like this now. Consider me your newest prosthetic,” you joked at him, and he chuckled softly. “I guess there are worse prosthetics to have,” he repeated your words, and your lips curled into a wide smile. At least he was amused by it now as well.

Your eyes skimmed your surroundings and you noticed the tools you had been using for the repairs. “Just get a tool to cut it off. But please, not the fusioncutter,” you swallowed, and before Echo could make a move, he looked down at you. “You sure?” he checked, and only after you nodded in affirmation, he reached for a vibro-cutter.

“Keep still,” he gently urged you, and you wrapped your arms around him to steady yourself. Very carefully, he let the cutter's blade slice through your hair, as close to his scomp as possible. It seemed like the both of you were holding your breath as he made the movement.

“All done,” he smiled at you at last. Reluctantly, you let go of him and stepped back, sliding your hand through your now freed hair. “I'm really sorry about that,” Echo shot at you, awkwardly scratching his neck. “Eh, don't be. It'll grow back,” you tried easing his mind, smiling at him in comfort.

He looked back at you, and for a moment, you thought you noticed a blush on his cheeks. “You know what?” he started, “It looks good on you.” You scoffed in amusement. “You're just saying that to make me feel better,” you shot his earlier words back at him, the smirk on your face giving away how amused you were with the whole situation.

He shook his head whilst laughing, and the sound warmed your heart. In the end, you had managed to make him feel better; it had only needed an incident with his scomp and the loss of some hair.

Echo taglist: @welcometo79s