𝖇𝖑𝖆𝖒! 𝖒𝖚𝖗𝖉𝖊𝖗𝖊𝖉 𝖞𝖔𝖚!

will  this  heavy  air  ever  clear  when  he  interacts  with  his  family  or  even  thinks  about  them     ?       maybe  he’s  trying  too  hard  to  find  answers.       it’s  obvious  that  taking  a  leap  of  faith       &       throwing  himself  on  the  planet  that  used  to  be  one  of  his  two  sources  of  fear       (       his  past  first       &       losing  the  Guardians second  created  that  duality       )       doesn’t  grant  him  clarity.

he  appreciates  the  normalcy  of  their  innocuous  exchange.       ❝          you’re  insulting  yourself  considering  you  were  my  teacher.          ❞       the  attrition  of  playfulness  in  his  voice  is  instant.       it  reflects  to  his  expression.       the  hybrid  takes  a  slow  seat  on  the  ground  before  Rocket       &       pulls  his  legs  in  a  criss-cross  position  before  gently  reaching  out  in  the  general  direction  of  the  baby  raccoons. 

he  gets  the  attention  of  a  few  that  climb  his  hand,       then  wrist.

he’s  not  afraid  because  like  he  said     :       THEY  ARE  HIM.            he  waits  for  his  best  friend  to  finish  because  he  knows  this  isn’t  easy.

❝          i  didn’t,       and  you  didn’t  think  i’d  ever  come  back  here  either.       life  has  a  funny  way  of  comin’  around  to  kick  us  all  in  the  ass  no  matter  what  we  do  to       RESIST       who  we  are.          ❞       brows  curl,       honesty  bittersweet    dissipating  between  them.       ❝          you  want  the  truth,       Rocky      ?       i  have  no  clue  what  i  am  doing      .  .  .       so  not  much  has  changed  in  that  sense,       but  there’s  one  thing  i  know      .  .  .          ❞       there’s  no  way  back       &       it  is  so  damn  hard  to  digest  it.       ❝          i  know  what  it  meant  when  i  left  the  way  i  did.       it  doesn’t  change  that  i  miss  you  guys.          ❞       it’s  the  first  time  Peter  cannot  look  at his  captain.       instead  he  grins  at  one  of  the  little  ones  climbing  up  his  shoulder.

HE HUFFS IN QUIET LAUGHTER at the nickname, new && unfamiliar && not entirely unwelcome. rocket turns his face up to the sky, the sunlight warming his fur, && his whiskers sway in the slight breeze, ears twitching at the sound of leaves rustling.

"....yeah. we miss you too. 'specially groot." it's not a lie, but it's also his way of saying especially me without saying it ; he doesn't have to, anyway, 'cuz he knows peter knows. "&& you ain't the only one without a clue. but that's what this is, right? figuring it out."

rocket snags one of the kits as it makes a break for peter's head by way of his face, hooking a paw around its underbelly && dumping it on his own shoulder instead. there's a faint smile on his face, memories of groot some twelve years ago, when he was just a little sapling. rocket hadn't known how to take care of a kid then, either. just another thing he's had to learn && adjust to along the way.

UNDER THE HARDENED STARE rocket gives the human is a look of mischief, not particularly angry at the current circumstances, but rather enjoying jasper's discomfort.

there's a snort of amusement, despite himself, at the other's retort, && rocket's eyes track down to the pocket he slipped the phone into. "oh, this thing?" he holds it up, but away, grinning now. "how important, humie? 'cuz yeah, i need it. i'm a guardian of the galaxy, maybe i need it for savin' the world or somethin'."

he props a hand on his hip, looking at jasper expectantly. "i might be willing to discuss a trade. you've got music on here? tell you what."

THE CORNER OF HER EYES is glued to that not-so-sneaky hand of his, patiently waiting until she has to tell him no. What the hell is it with the Guardians & blowing shit up ? Guess it's one of the requirements to join their band of misfits. ( Yes, she's allowed to call them that because SHE LOVES THEM ).

❛   We can't solve all our problems by blasting the shit out of things.   ❜ Carol says, glaring right back at him. ❛   There could be innocent people in there, yanno ?   ❜ She's always had a hands-on approach, but it'd be much faster for them to ERADICATE this alien virus by destroying the edifice. ❛   Let's compromise . . . we go in there to make sure there are no survivors. Then, ya can have your fireworks show.   ❜

HIS SILENCE SPEAKS VOLUMES, not quite ready to admit that carol's right, but not intending to argue, either — because she is. && rocket knows better than to risk killing innocent civilians ; he's better than that, these days. that's what it MEANS to be a guardian of the galaxy. to be a captain.

only when she suggests staying behind does he resume protesting — loudly — && turns over the flight controls to groot, before hopping up out of his seat to follow her. "you think i'm gonna stay here && miss all the action?" scoffing, rocket scrambles after her, hoisting a pair of dual guns off the wall, slapping an aero-rig to his back, && heads to the airlock.

ㅤㅤ( you aren't meant to be 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗿 alone , there are strict rules & conditions to be followed if you joined along on this easy visit . )

suppressing curiosity in favour of not upsetting adoptive father & turning to leave just in time to find his phone being lifted from canvas bag , though by something different to the people from the festival . ʲᵃˢᵖᵉʳ ˢᵠᵘᶤᶰᵗˢ ʰᶤˢ ᵉʸᵉˢ , trying to decide if he's looking at a badger or 𝚊 𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚘𝚘𝚗 ... all the way out here ?

❝ oh , shit . ʰᵉʸ , little guy . ❞ it's second nature to bend at his knees to get a better look at the being in front of him , sparing 𝑎 𝑔𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 to where he was supposed to be & figured this might be 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 reason for straying , just this once . after all , he had to get his phone back anyway — he couldn't return home without it .

MOMENTARY PANIC IN HIS EYES subsides as his thievery is not met with violent resistance ; not that rocket can't handle it, but he'd rather not cause a scene here. he has new standards to uphold, as captain, && this festival is in part a party for the team from saving the capital city on the planet from invasion.

all in a days work, but it's probably better not to RUIN it by picking a fight.

still, when the guy starts babytalking him, rocket's hackles raise, && he lets the contraption fall into the front pouch of the uniform, at the same time grabbing a different device, one that will activate the anti-grav boots, && raises his hands in feigned surrender, righting himself on two legs.