#celestialmixtape

The casette player was gone, but Peter had a new thing filled with so much music Groot didn’t know how they’d even listen to all of it. 

He was determined, with all his little tree heart, to try though. And since Peter hadn’t said he couldn’t touch the device, that had to mean he could. Which was why Groot was clutching it to his chest as he walked out of Peter’s quarters on the Milano. The earbuds cord was wrapped around his middle a couple of times, but the buds themselves were still dragging on the floor behind him. 

He found Peter in the cockpit. “I am Groot!” He announced himself, and held the Zune out.

     INITIALLY, HE’S SURPRISED when he hears a cacophony of noise coming from the gardens. The entire purpose behind Ego creating them years ago was to allow himself a quiet sanctuary, somewhere peaceful and mentally soothing to which he might retreat in the event that he ever became overwhelmed or too terribly busy. Puzzled, he crosses over to the window, his bemusement only subsiding when he remembers that, of course, he’s not the ONLY person occupying this planet anymore. It’s been just Mantis and himself for so long that having company has taken some getting used to -- especially since Peter Quill is a man who tends to enjoy making his presence known. ( Like father, like son in that regard, he supposes. )

     OF COURSE, IT’S Peter that’s been making all the commotion. He should have guessed. And yet, the barest traces of a smile -- or is that a victorious SMIRK? -- makes its way across Ego’s face when it occurs to him what his son is doing. From the looks of it, he’s living up to his word and putting forth his greatest effort to make what he called, ‘some weird shit.’ Now, he imagines, would be just as good a time as any to head down there, himself, and observe, perhaps even offer some advice. The sooner he starts ingratiating himself to his son, the better.

     WHEN HE HEADS outside into the gardens, he’s greeted by a particularly calm evening sky, the placid blue of midday at last beginning to give way to the rich purples of dusk. The slightest breeze stirs the air, bending the leaves of the trees that surround the area. The perfect weather for catching up on lost time.

“two, three years?” she ventures a guess as red dances across her hands. “feels a lot longer, though. it’s difficult now for me to imagine life without it.” oh, she could, but it hurts – both the idea of not having her powers, and the idea of having had them longer than she has now – much that could’ve been avoided, done differently, most of it for the better ( though some, undoubtedly, also for the worse. )

they look really good! the coloring is so pretty

Groot knows he shouldn’t be in Peter’s quarters when he isn’t there, but just because he knows he shouldn’t do something doesn’t mean he won’t do it. It’s not like he’s going to take anything. He just wants to... borrow Peter’s music for a little bit. Play with it without taking it out of the room.

He’s on his third repeat of his current favorite song when he hears the door open. As much as he tells himself that there’s nothing wrong with playing with Quill’s music while he isn’t there to supervise, the sound still makes him jump and whip around to face the door.

“I am Groot!”