W A R L O C K

Nebula lost what little patience she had for Adam as she let out a low groan that turned into a full on yell. “Oh– you idiot! Listen to me! For the last time, I am asking you where Rocket went! I don’t care about your crunchy chips.” She let her glare sit on him for a moment before she slowly reached forward and snatched one from his bowl, then popped it into her mouth. “Rocket. Where is he?”

“Weird, maybe, but it’s good. Do you know how nice it is to not be ordering take-out to the Baxter Building? That won’t mean much to you, but it’s a big deal to me.”

“It’s one of the many things you’ll have to get used to.” Crystal takes a bite of her own food, albeit much quieter.  “Earth is nothing if not unique.”

“Gamora.” Adam thought it was her, at least. Rocket spoke of her often and he had tried to kill her a few times— he figured he knew her face well enough just based on that. Still, he was hesitant. Out of the multitude of things he was capable of, aspects of social interaction were what he seemed worst at.

He said her name very matter-of-fact, very formal. Slightly awkward. Adam knew that he was superior to her in many ways but respected her strength and resolve. But respect wasn’t friendship, it wasn’t familiarity. That was something Rocket had taught him— was still teaching him, really.

The golden child of a civilization created for entirely aesthetic purposes wasn’t going to be the easiest person to get along with. Adam was created to be strong, to be the best of his people, to be the Warlock. Instead he found himself lost and alone like a puppy tossed out into the rain— scared, frightened, looking for someone to take him in. Adam could crush bones between his fingers and survive the vacuum of space, but what he couldn’t do was survive on his own. He wanted to belong somewhere, to mean something to people.

Failing his mother and losing her had irreparably changed him. Then Groot saved him. Then he saved Peter. Then Rocket took him in. Everything happened in such a short period of time and it left him feeling off-balance, trying to find his footing as he bonded with his team.

Seeing Gamora walk off as everyone gathered around Quill that day.. it left Adam with a lot of questions about what it meant to be close with someone. He had seem Gamora with the Guardians— fighting with them, flying their ship, protecting Rocket. So why hadn’t she joined in?