#adolescent groot

Thor: Rocket, Gamora, Mantis, Drax, Nebula, Tree...

When Rocket wasn’t inspecting the waret or the protected cargo holds, when he wasn’t tag teaming with Quill to navigate to Gravior, or trying to push aside the walls of Groot’s iron apathy, in the quiet moments aboard the ship, (which were few,) he sat and tried to repair the malfunctions of his cybernetics. Groot had wordlessly depart their room, as per usual, to spar with Drax and Kraglin.“I thought you were gonna help me fix the broken electrics in the southern chambers!” Rocket shouted at the adolescents back. Groot turned, his side almost fully healed. The raccoonoid looked at him, blinking, waiting for some recognition. For anything. The hard-dark eyes only narrowed, deep shades of brown barely gleaming a touch of wanton sympathy.“

Groot….” Rocket began, words filling his throat. The teen turned, walking from the room with finality and leaving the door open, just as gaping as the feeling in his chest. “Flark it,” he mumbled, going to his bed and reaching underneath for the draw of nick knacks. He withdrew his cleaning cloths and ointments, a wrench and a screw driver and took a deep breath. He knew the routine well and didn’t think about the pain he was going to feel as he undid the top of his customary jumpsuit. Looking through the faded dirty mirror Rocket made an effort to fix the knots and bolts in his back, each wipe of ointment and twerk of wrench making his body spasm with electric hurt.

 “F…fuck..” he breathed, leaning forward and gripping the edge of his bed

“Knock knock,” Gamora said quietly. Rocket didn’t bother to hide his small smile. Such meetings had become routine in the months and years since Groot was a small infant. She took the wrench and screw driver from him and sat herself down behind him all without words. Rocket gritted his teeth as she stuck the wrench to the lowest bolt in his back and twisted.

“Shit….” He whispered. Gamora poured more of the ointment on his torn flesh and rubbed it soothingly. She moved on to another section, this one slightly less painful.

“How is Groot?” She finally asked, Rocked sighed begrudgingly.

“You’d know better than me,” he grumbled through his fangs.

“Hold still,” the assassin ordered and pulled once, sending sparks from the panel in his back dazzling. Rocket’s arms and legs tightened, his tail rigid. Blood slicked down his back from the wounds where skin met metal.“You’re allergic to this,” Gamora stated, resting her palm gently on his shoulder. Her hand felt surprisingly smooth and welcome on his fur.“Yeah,” he reached around and finished tightening the bolt with his own fingers. 

“It’s a low-grade reaction.” He didn’t need to turn around to sense Gamora’s unhappiness.“Rocket….”

“Don’t.” He snapped. “I know what you’re gonna say, don’t say it.” Gamora only applied more of the soothing stuff and continued to work on his repairs.

“I have to tell you something Rocket,” Gamora spoke in hushed tones as she worked through his fur.“Yeah what?”

“…How much have you told Groot. About what happened on Xandar?” Rocket’s ears pricked up.

“Nothing. I mean, I told him how we met and everything, told him about the good times and a lot of the bad. Told him how we met you guys but nothing about….wait why are you even askin me?” He looked over his shoulder at her. She focused intently on the knots in his fur and grimaced.

“Peter told me…that Groot asked him about…what happened before his pot”“I swear to the gods if star fucker…”

“He didn’t say anything Rocket. He would never say anything without talking to you first. But you…you have to tell Groot. That’s probably why he’s been…so restless.” The racconooid laughed bitterly.

“Restless, tsch, that’s one way to put it.” Gamora sighed.“You need to tell him.”

“I can’t!” Rocket exploded, turning to face her. “He’s my best friend and….”

“That’s the point Rocket, he’s not your best friend.” She spoke not unkindly. “Not anymore. He’s his own person and he’s trying to figure out who that is. The more you keep from him, the worse off he’ll be. If you love him like I know you do…you’ll tell him.”

“I know he ain’t my best friend no more!!” he snarled, clenching his fists against the hot burning fire in his limbs and turning away once more. His vision swam as he blinked away the black shadows on the edge of his site. “…I made peace with that,” he coughed through his pain. “More or less.” Gamora finished cleaning the bolts and gently spread more ointment over the raised scars. Rocket bit his lip as she carefully wet a rag and dampened the bleeding scabs around the metal. “….I know this Groot ain’t the one who saved us but….every time I look at him I see him and…I just…” Rocket closed his eyes and the large flora colossus, smiling and staring at butterflies came into full view. “I miss him so much,” tears welled in his eyes, running with the water that ran down his back. Gamora fiddled with a knot in his fur, disentangling it and stroking his fur rhythmically.

“I miss him too Rocket,” she whispered. “He sacrificed his life, not only for you but for me as well. After hardly knowing me…after I hacked off his arms and sliced his torso. “No one had ever done that for me…a tool of Thanos…”

“You are NOT a tool of that psycho Gams, I don’t know how many times I have to tell yah.”“I didn’t deserve it. But he gave his life for mine and…I will never be able to repay that debt. But I try, every day, to help raise this Groot with patience…and forgiveness and love. It’s the least I can do.” Rocket nodded at her quiet voice.

“I just don’t want him to end up like me,” he repeated. Gamora straightened and wiped at the edge of her eye.

“Would that be so bad?” She joked, wiping down the last of his cybernetics and gave him a strong pat. Rocket grinned but felt his heart fall. He can’t be like me…I don’t want him to be so broken…so afraid…

“Thank you Gams,” he managed.“

Anytime Rock, now…I think Groot just needs… BEEP, BEEP,BEEP red lighting flooded the room.

“Shit!” The raccoonoid scurried down from his seat and pressed the comms button. “Quill! What the flark is going on?!” Star-Lord’s voice came in grainy and broken,

“A….sh…ship…must’ve tracked us from C…con..tra…tracxia and waited util we were further..e…enough out…” Bam! Bam, bam, bam, the room pitched and banked on to it’s side sending a rattling throughout the chamber. Gamora whipped out her sword instantly.

“Ravagers?!”

“I…if they are…I do..don’t know em! Just..g..get up here now!”

“Fuck balls,” Rocket scrambled for his gun, hefting over both of his shoulders and ran after Gamora, his tail struggling to balance him as he ran to the cockpit. “Didn’t you upgrade our security systems?” She asked, stumbling forward and grabbing on to the railing.

“I did! I don’t know how they spotted us!” Drax’s thundering footfalls came up behind them, and Rocket slid to the side letting out an involuntary yelp. Shame welled in his stomach watching the warrior go, knives brandished like a mad man. If Groot wanted anything to do with him, he’d be perched on his shoulder right now. Granted still not as high as before, but better then running on the ground, terrified of being stepped on. Rocket adjusted his weight on the gun as he barged into the cockpit. The ship spun and the whole team fell crashing on top of each other,

“Blam!”

“Fuck!” Peter gripped the wheel tight and pulled the Milano up. On his stomach, Rocket leapt off of Drax’s chest and scanned the room. Groot stood up, growing a vine outward and attaching himself to the wall of the Milano.

“Groot! Groot yah alright?” Groot’s eyes only locked on the sky ahead, black but littered with lights as the rounds from the ship pelted them.

“Rocket! Give me a status update!” The raccoooid tore his eyes away from Groot and made his way to the co-pilot seat, rigging up the port and starboard guns.

“They ain’t aiming for the body of the ship so they’re after the cargo. Otherwise they’d just blast us with one of their glarking canyons.”

“Let us board them!” Drax shouted over the fire as the Milano swooped under another round of fire. “I will destroy them!”

“No! We need to loose em!” Gamora shouted.

“I am Groot!”

“No! We’re not going into space are you crazy? We can’t possibly fight out…Ah!!” Rocket felt himself get thrown forward as fire riddled the ship, making everything vibrate.

“I am Groot!” He slowly watched the teen try to make his way back down the hall, that stubborn look on his face.

“What the hell was that?!” Peter asked, staring wide eyed at the controls before him.

“Alert, alert, alert, engine down. Alert, alert, alert, engine down.” Quill tugged at the wheel, punched the thrusters. Rocket snarled in frustration, firing the rear guns. The enemy ship gained on them, not twelve paces away, firing off from all of their small scale arms.

“Fuck!” Rocket yelled over the gun fire. Drax, Mantis and Gamora slid to the left, beer bottles rolled across the floor. “They’re sending they’re guys out!” He watched on his camera pad as several small figures, attached to the colossus ship leapt out of a portside lock in full space-protected armor.

“How is that possible?” Gamora asked in awe, clutching the back of Quill’s chair. BAM, BBBAAAMMMMBB, there was a ripping sound of grating metal and Rocket watched in terror as a fireball hit against the ship.

“Peter what’s the plan?” The assassin demanded.

“I’m trying to find a place to land! There’s no nearby planets!” Drax hollered as bullets grazed the glass, Mantis covered her ears and screamed.

“Kraglin! Go below to our short range missile launch and fire at the….” Rocket’s heart caught in his chest, watching the external cam. Groot! The flora colossus had attached himself to the Milano with a braid of vines and was shouting at the enemies, reaching out and striking them before they got in range. Being hit with gun fire, Groot grew a protective thorny bushel out of his right arm, trying to shield himself with one arm while fighting the rest of them. Rocket unbuckled himself, sliding off the chair and balanced his way across the room.

“Rocket!” Peter shouted, “Rocket! Gamora,” Peter un-did his own buckle, signaling Gamora to take over as the ship began to slide downward. Kraglin. Rocket made his way to the main bay of the ship, stepping into his space suit. “Rocket what are you doing?!” Peter shouted,

“What’s it look like Star-Munch?” Rocket secured the buckle around his waist, steadying himself against the rocking ship.

“You’ll get torn to pieces!” Peter shouted. Rocket’s ear twitched, loading ammo into his spare pockets.

“Tsch, wouldn’t be the first time.” Peter’s brows knitted, jaw set.

“Rocket as your captain and your friend I forbid it.” Rocket looked up at him,

“I ain’t never done anything right my whole life Pete, you gotta give me this.” The words were out before Rocket knew it. Peter looked side to side, searching for something. Hands on his hips and he swallowed for a moment before meeting Rocket’s eyes. The raccoonoid couldn’t tell exactly what he saw there. Desperation, helplessness, worry…..l..love?” Peter stepped forward, pushing the button and Rocket took a breath as the door of the Milano’s clanked to open. The humie secured the cord to the anchor.

“You come back in one piece.” He ordered, “both of you. Got it?” Suction tugged at Rocket and the made his way to the edge, looking out at the enemy ship, he could see Groot struggling to combat two of the suited aliens.

Blackwidow: is that an animal flying the ship?

Gamora: No, that's the galaxies best pilot who's flying the ship

Tony: You're telling me a woodland creature has built better weapons then me?

Peter: No, I'm telling you our highly skilled engineer has built better weapons then you

Thor: That furry beast would get dystroyed on the battlefield

Drax: Our small friend is stronger then he looks.

Scarlet witch: What a cute little pet! May I pat him?

Mantis: Rocket is cute! But doesn't like to be touched without his permission first.

Peter Parker: Is that your guard dog or somthing?

Other times,...