#guardiansofthegalaxyxreader

You will be happy to know that the description in no longer click bait! However now I realized I strayed from it...

This is uncharted territory now. So, that means I can finally get creative with my writing instead of having boring bs that follows the MCU timeline. I know, I did this to myself so idk why I'm complaining. Anyways, it's gonna be a bit of a better, longer reading experience... yay... don't forget the angst tho.

I have no idea how many more parts there are going to be so stay with me while we figure that out. I will be naming these after songs I listen on repeat while writing them, so don't pay the weird names any attention.

Enjoy and pls don't come for me, I'm just having fun and simping for this golden mf :)

You could feel your limbs creak and crack as you stretched, a pleasant sigh leaving your lips, waiting to feel the throb of a headache as you sat up, but it never came.

You rubbed the sleep from your eyes, looking around your small apartment. You didn't know how long you slept, but the lights around Nowhere and the faint chatter proved it was still within the early hours.

You licked your chapped lips, the faint taste of whiskey and honey danced along your dry tongue, followed by a sinking feeling in your gut.

You chose to ignore it while you pulled yourself out of bed and into the bathroom, hoping to wash away the night with a shower. It didn't take you long to get yourself cleaned up and dressed in comfortable attire, finishing your usual morning routine before getting ready to step outside.

You didn't even get to enjoy the walk to the enclosure to the animals, due to Nebula stopping you right outside your apartment. She was about to knock when you opened the door to her standing there.

You smiled softly, "Good morning."

"Good, your awake. I came to inform you that I can take care of your jobs for today." You wanted to ask why, but she beat you too it. "Thor would not stop bugging me about giving you today off."

You were giggling now. It sounded like something Thor would do, and you definitely needed the distraction after last night. You winced internally just thinking about it. "Did he say why?"

"No, but Drax will be joining you, as well as the kids. I don't really care for details, as long as the kids are looked after and return in one piece." Nebula waved her hand in dismissal, turning to begin her walk.

You followed alongside her quietly, hoping she wouldn't mention anything about the night prior. Luckily, she was too busy looking at the data pad in her hands, swiping through it and clicking a few buttons every now and again.

You both made it toward the port, the smell of oil and rubber hitting your nose. Nebula walked off leaving you by yourself.

You took the time to look out passed the barrier keeping you from space. It felt just like yesterday when you were within the guardian's ship, watching as the stars and galaxies danced along its black canvas, the vastness of it still taking your breath away. You could never get sick of seeing space, not when it still held undiscovered planets that you still had yet to explore.

"Good morning, Stardust. It appears we're the first ones to arrive." The voice of Adam appeared at your side; the flicker of warmth filled the space between you. You didn't dare look at him, not when he seen you so vulnerable the night before, you could still hazily remember him guiding you back to your apartment.

You could still feel his fingertips brush against your chest as he pulled the blanket over you, and the way he tucked your hair behind your ear while you mumbled nonsense. His soft hushed voice lulling you to sleep, staying at your side until your breathing evened out, not realizing the storm of emotions that the night had caused you. You didn't want to think about, didn't want to fall for a simple sweet gesture, so, you put up your walls, hiding behind the sarcasm and annoyance.

"Shouldn't you be stating the obvious somewhere else?" At your response, you could feel the way Adam's body shifted, and the way his hands twitched at his sides.

"Thor invited me on this journey. Did he not mention that to you." You gave him a sideways glance, seeing the soft smile on his face as he continued to look out into stars, not paying any mind to the jab you tried to make.

The thought that he would be tagging along was making you want to stay on Nowhere just to avoid the feeling bubbling in your chest.

"No, he didn't." You turned your attention back out into the vacuum of space.

The silence was deafening, it was both awkward and suffocating. You wanted your body to move, to find Nebula just so you wouldn't bask in the warm glow his body gave off. You couldn't fathom the comfort he brought you, it felt like everything was going to be okay, but you didn't want that. You wanted to stay within the confines of sadness, anger and regret.

"May I ask you a question?" Adam's words were like sandpaper against your ears, irritation already coming to mask your feelings. He seemed to take your silence as approval because he turned to face you, giving you his undivided attention.

You could feel him reach out as he spoke, "I have been thinking—well, knowing that I have—I would like-" He took a deep breath in, while he tried to find the words.

You could feel yourself slip away from existence for a minute. His words ringing in your head like a constant alarm. He spoke too quickly, to quietly to fully register what he was trying to say but you could feel your lungs beginning to burn from holding your breath. It was painfully obvious he was nervous, and you didn't want any part in what he had to say; at least that's what you wanted to believe.

You could feel the heat through his fingertips as they brushed the back side of your hand hesitantly. Your head turned in his direction finally looking up into his golden eyes watching as he opened his mouth slightly, before closing it and swallowing his nerves. His gaze went from your eyes down to your lips then back, your heart skipping a beat as he finally found the courage to speak. "Would you like to-"

"What the flark are you two doin?" The loud gruff voice made you jump, your hand quickly pulling away from his.

You stepped away from Adam as your eyes followed the sound of footsteps that came to an abrupt stop just a few feet away. The sight of Rocket standing, staring between you and Adam made it easier to not think too much into Adam's words.

You could hear a faint huff from your side, glancing over to Adam for just a second. He seemed disappointed, annoyed, at the sudden interruption. However, you thanked the gods that you were saved from whatever it was he wanted. But when you turned your attention to the raccoon, you couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't any better.

As you looked at Rocket, the images, the feeling of him replayed in your head. The lump in your throat and twist in your gut made it feel like you were going to throw up. You couldn't possibly face Rocket, not right now, not when the wound was still fresh. You tried to push it out, to ignore it, but the way his hard gaze disappeared at the concern on your face was enough to tell you he might remember just as much as you did.

"Captain Rocket, it is nice to see you." Adam's words were less soft compared to before, it was like he was a completely different person now. It made you do a double take in looking to him then to Rocket.

"Yea yea goldie. I actually came to give you this." His words directed at you were unwavering, the cool calm tone hurting you more than you thought it would, but excitement replace that emotion within you at the sight of your uniform.

You were breathless as you spoke, "Does this mean-"

"Yes, it does. I can see all the progress you've made, even just a little." Rocket forced his smile up to you, his eyes softening at your excited jumps of glee.

You were quick to grab your uniform from his grasp, not missing the way your hand gently brushed against the back of his paw.

You could see Rocket's body stiffen, you both feeling the tension beginning to build. You wanted to say something, to ask if he remembered but you bit your tongue, hiding behind your veil of excitement.

"Thank you, so much Rocket. You don't know how happy I am to be back." You could feel his gaze shift away from you, putting up his own walls in the process, "Don't mention it Doll, been needing that out of my office anyway."

You could feel a mix of relief and disappointment. Of course, he wasn't too keen on talking about feelings if it didn't involve half a bottle of whiskey, but that was if he remembered, and by the looks of it, it seemed he wasn't in the mood to tell.

You were so lost in thought you didn't hear the rushed footsteps from behind you. You could feel yourself being lifted from off the ground, your whole body twisting and turning at the tight grip around your legs and torso that hoisted you up bridal style. The scream of surprise you let out had Rocket and Adam both jumping in place.

"My dear! You are finally awake." Thor's voice was right next to your ear, your whole body ceasing its attempt at fighting back.

You playfully punched his chest, letting out a loud sigh of relief. "Don't do that, you scared me half to death."

You could feel your whole body shake along with his laugh; it felt nice to have him distract you from your thoughts.

"Shall we set out on our little adventure. We're all here now." Thor gently set you back onto your feet, giving you a noogie and throwing your hair askew. You felt your smile falter as you swatted at his hand, already slightly annoyed with his antics.

Once you recovered, you looked behind him to see Drax and the little ones. The sight of Lyra waving frantically had you smiling brightly, you knew it was going to be a good day.

"Will you be joining us, Captain?" The question from Adam made your hair stand on end. You tried not to eavesdrop, but you could already feel the eyes staring into the back of your head as Lyra ran toward you.

"I'm sitting this one out, I need to find our next mission. You guys have fun." Rocket's quick response was followed by his fleeting footsteps.

You were once again feeling that mix of relief and disappointment. The feeling swallowing you whole, you were already beginning to overthink but as Lyra's small hands wrapped around your neck it disappeared. She would be your main focus today, and that was enough.

The travel time was short, Thor already seemed familiarized with the system you were in. When you set down onto the unknown planet, you could see a coastal town, the bright blue of the ocean blended well with the faint hint of light blues and tan colors of the town. It was breathtaking seeing such a beautiful planet, even just the smallest part of it.

Thor had mentioned it was going to be an all-day trip considering the planet's days were similar to Earths, if not shorter.

You were helping Thor sort through the supplies, making sure you had enough for lunch, dinner and the beach day activities when Drax had announced he would be taking the kids to the town alongside Adam. You were relived to be away from Adamm, even for a short few hours, but you made the most of it taking the time to indulge in the natural riches of the planet, sunbathing out on the dock of Thor's ship.

It had been almost an hour since Drax left and you were listening to the crashing of waves, and the soft breeze that blew by every once in a while. It felt nice to empty your mind in such a beautiful place, but it didn't last long when you heard the heavy footsteps within the ship, Thor's voice calling from behind you.

"Have you had breakfast?" You could feel your stomach rumble at the mention of food, deciding it was best to stand from your laying position. "No, but if you have something to snack on that would be great."

Thor shook his head, "Absolutely not, I will make you my specialty."

You hummed, deciding to take a seat beside the kitchen island to wait for him to give you whatever he had in mind. Thor didn't waste any time in pulling out the ingredients and getting too work. You were in awe that he was making it from scratch.

As you watched him work, you felt nostalgia begin to flow through your body.

You glanced around at the empty seats at your side, the sinking feeling in your stomach returning for another reason.

The Avenger tower would whirl to life as each one of you woke up, tired eyes and mumbled good mornings. The clatter in the kitchen followed by the faint scent of coffee, the warmth of the morning light peeking through the large windows and faint chatter of your quiet sing song voice.

Tony would be the first one up, taking a walk to the small bakery down the road. He would come back with two dozen donuts and his own expensive coffee. He would be having a donut in the corner looking over his schematics while you fought to not argue about the coffee you were making.

Bruce would be leaving the bathroom with a freshly shaven face, and grabbing a cup of coffee that you poured him, his lazy thank you as he took a sip, then he would join Tony on the sofa giving his opinions every now and again.

Steve would be walking into the kitchen, his workout clothes hugging his body just right as he thanked you for the cup of coffee, then he would set out on retrieving utensils and cooking pans while you dug through the fridge and cabinets for ingredients.

Thor would be stirring from his slumber on the couch, his eyes scanning the room before sitting up and heading to the bathroom. Once he returned, he would take your place next to Steve to help cook breakfast, joking with you about being a terrible cook. You would argue back that you used to work in a cafe, while Nat and Clint would be bickering down the hall almost synchronizing with you and Thor.

Nat would be the first to sit beside you before Clint followed. They would sit and continue their argument about waffles and pancakes, or any breakfast item to prove which was better.

Thor and Steve would be happily chatting while serving up breakfast, barely taking in Nat and Clints opinions on what they preferred, then you would all sit around and eat, chatting about what the plans were for the upcoming week.

You really missed those lazy mornings.

"So, how did last night go? I spent an hour trying to wash my face from you and Rocket." Thor's voice had ripped you from your reminiscing.

The mention of last night making you forget your earlier thoughts as you felt the swell of mixed emotions. You wanted to tell him; to respond honestly but you felt your walls beginning to cloud your judgment. "It's nothing worth mentioning."

Thor hummed, glancing back at you. "I was told from Nebula that you and Rocket had to be escorted to your homes."

He laughed, "It must've been a fun night; sorry I didn't stay up longer."

He waited for you to have a backhanded comment or to deny it but at your silence he glanced back again. He could see the distant look in your eyes, he felt like there was something wrong and he wasn't going to ignore it.

"My dear, are you alright?" Thor's voice echoed off the walls of his ship, the faint smell of pancakes and syrup followed alongside him as he placed the plate in front of you.

You could hear Love and Lyra playing outside, they must've just gotten back from town. You focused on their laughter and screams of joy, letting it occupy your brain.

Thor gently place his hand on your shoulder, squeezing softly to get your attention. "Hey, what's wrong?"

You looked down at the pancakes, the syrup dripping off of one side inviting you to take a bite, but the sight had your stomach turning. The gentle breeze from outside drifted in, the faint scent of salt hitting your senses.

You wanted to ignore the sadness in your heart, the realization that this was worse than death.

"(y/n)." Thor's quiet say of your name had you jumping, turning your attention to him like he had yelled at you. His expression was full of worry. You didn't feel like you deserved such sympathy, not when everything seemed to be falling apart.

"Sorry. I'm just tired." You lifted the fork full of plush cakes to your lips, still feeling his gaze on you as you took a bite. Thor wasn't the brightest, but he wasn't completely oblivious and that jeopardized your attempt at hiding.

"Listen, I know something is wrong. You're never so quiet, where's my sassy sister at?" Thor was trying to make you smile at the name, the name that always got you to laugh and roll your eyes. He wanted you to give him some sort of reaction, anything. but you couldn't muster enough to care, the void in your chest completely engulfing your very being in sadness.

"I said I'm tired." You repeated, taking another bite of the breakfast item.

Thor smiled softly, taking a seat next to you. "You cannot fool me dear, I know something is wrong." He wrapped his arm around your shoulder, rocking you back and forth, still trying to get you to smile, to break the mask you were wearing.

You could feel the irritation bubbling up in your chest at his arm wrapped around you. It made you feel claustrophobic. His braying voice making your ears hurt and the tightness in your throat nearly made you choke on your food. You tried counting in your head, taking deep breathes through your nose to calm yourself.

You could feel another rush of sadness at the faint voice of Adam from outside, the familiar burn within your heart tore away the sadness. You wanted nothing more than to let it sweep you off your feet, but the events within the last twenty-four hours were already becoming too hard to bear.

All of the walls Adam crept through wanted to seal up, but they couldn't, not when he was at your side. You didn't want to feel that extra skip in your heart, or the heat on your cheeks, or the pain from grinning to hard. You wanted nothing more than to ignore it, to avoid those attractively captivating eyes, to forget the feel of muscular hands pulling you into his comforting embrace.

Yet, no matter how hard you pushed him away with every back handed comment, every snap of anger or rude gesture, it completely went over his head. He would smile, chuckle and pretend you didn't just insult him. It was like he didn't care, like he was okay with being nestled in the small space he worked his way through even if it meant getting hurt. You hated that about him. You didn't want him, and you didn't need him.

"You can tell me anything, I'm always here for-" Thor couldn't even finish his sentence before you shoved his arm off of your shoulder, standing from your seat abruptly with a loud sigh, knocking the plate to the floor in the process.

You couldn't control your raging emotions, or the words that fell from your lips. "Get off my back, will ya?! I can't have a peaceful morning and the breakfast you made for me without you being a pain in my ass. I said there's nothing wrong and you keep prying. It's pissing me off."

You were taking deep shallow breathes now, your hands clenched at your side, while Thor was pulled away from you slightly. The anger was continuing to build, you were trying so hard to fight off your earlier thoughts.

Thor tried to speak, to say something "My dear, I'm just worried about you."

You were completely blinded with anger now. You hate him, hated the way he made you feel. "Worried? What you should be worried about is that the moment you showed up shit hit the fan. If I had known your surprise visit would involve such events, I would've kicked you out."

Thor was in compete shock, he wasn't able to hide the sadness on his face at your words, and it made him feel smaller as you continued. "I don't want you here, no one does. You're so annoying, you can't shut up for two seconds to read the room. I've had a really shitty night, and I'm sick of you trying to work your way into something that doesn't involve you."

He couldn't even argue back, the sight of your whole-body trembling in anger was enough for him to know that there was definitely something wrong.

You couldn't possibly mean what you said, he tried so hard to believe that, even when there was no sway in your glare, no indication that what you said was nothing but the truth. You may be quick to anger but this was different, you never lashed out like this in all the years he's known you. Except for one time, and that was a long time ago right after... this was a cry for help, and he didn't know how to go about it because he wasn't the one who comforted you all those years ago.

The silence and tension in the air filled your lungs, each breath burning. Your heart was pounding in your ears looking into Thor's blue eyes, waiting for him too snap back, for him to be angry with you.

The thought of those gentle golden hands that cradled you until you stopped crying, and the tickle of whiskers on your face made your teeth clench. You wanted to feel something else, needed to focus on anything that wasn't the night prior. You wanted to block it out, it was eating away at your heart, numbing your senses, and any knowledge of the tears of anger spilling from your eyes.

You hated this, hated feeling so weak when you were supposed to be the strongest. The years after you lost your parents you were adamant on hiding your tears, your emotions but then you met Steve and the Avengers. Every day that passed you could feel your walls slipping more and more, digging a hole for you to lie in.

They made you feel safe and at home, every single one of them wormed their way into your heart, the heart that was caged off from fear of losing them. And when you got too comfortable, just like with your parents, the world surprised you with its cruelty. You lost the Avengers, and you lost Steve. You couldn't bear the burden that laid on your shoulders after that, you sealed yourself off no matter how much your heart yearned for intimacy.

Now with Adam, everything was tenfold, it was like your entire existence was altered. He brought out that sensitivity, the guardians brought out your weaknesses more than the Avenger's ever could and even then, you lost Quill, Thor and Mantis. In every scenario where you opened up, you've lost more than you could withstand. Not one has stayed, not one has given you the satisfaction of recuperating what you felt.

At least that's what you wanted to believe but as you looked into Thor's saddened expression, you knew that you were beginning to doubt that you were ever angry or annoyed to begin with. It was just like you to keep pushing and pushing until they gave up on you.

You could feel the tears streaming down your face now, the anger vanishing into the sadness you've been trying so hard to suppress.

This was always your fault; you were just trying to protect yourself from heartbreak and here you were breaking his heart, breaking the heart of the one who took time out of their busy life to visit, and the one who saw right through the mask you put on since day one.

A loud sob left your lips, your whole body going ridged as you flung yourself into Thor's arms, the warmth of his hug tarnishing the hurt you felt. You cried, letting all the pent-up emotions over the past few years drop down onto his clothing, sobbing so loudly your voice became hoarse, your grip around his neck nearly choking him.

He was the one who actually stayed after everything.

You tried to speak, to apologize for being so stupid but you were only met with his hushed voice as he rocked you gently within his hold, "It's okay, it's okay. Let it out."

Thor was holding onto your crying form for what felt like hours, each time you would start to calm down the tears would start up again. It went on like that for a while, and he was willing to wait. He didn't realize just how much you were holding back, and that frightened him.

How long had you felt this way?

You took a few deep breathes in, steadying yourself in Thor's arms. His grip around your back loosened, as you finally pulled away. You didn't have to say anything as he guided you toward the comforter, sitting you down gently. The fear of speaking was making the silence much louder than it was, and Thor must've felt it too because he cleared his throat waiting for you to speak.

It didn't take long for you to explain why exactly you were feeling the way you did. You told him about Rocket's confession, his words, his touch, his kiss. You explained how frightened you were, how it rattled you to the core to even think about him in such a way. Your feelings were mixed, you knew the love you had for Rocket was only platonic and that broke your heart not being able to give him what he wanted.

Fresh tears were already beginning to spill as you waited for his say on the matter.

"That all happened last night?" His voice rumbled with amusement, a teasing smile on his face at an attempt to lighten the mood.

You wanted to facepalm, he never wanted to take anything seriously, but you couldn't be mad. It felt nice that he was trying to make you smile.

"Yea, I had no one to tell. Rocket most likely doesn't remember, and I didn't want to bring it up when I saw him this morning." You could hear your voice quiver at the mention on Rocket, and Thor could see the way you began to fidget.

"That is, a lot, to say the least..." Thor had a thoughtful look on his face, still taking in the information. You watched as his expression changed, a familiar glimmer in his blue eyes as he looked out into the scenery of the planet you were on.

"So, you and Adam huh?" You wanted to punch him in that moment, wondering what exactly he was getting at.

"What about Adam and me?" You tried hard not to let any emotion slip, but you knew you were fucked when you avoided his gaze as his hearty chuckle flew around the quiet space.

"My dear, you do realize I know that look he gives you. It's the same look you'd give-" Thor paused, deciding not to say his name. He cleared his throat before continuing, "What I'm saying is, the rabbit saw it before you could, even I saw it when we were introduced."

You rolled your eyes, trying to brush off the flutter in your chest. "There's nothing to see. You don't know Adam. He was a mindless killing machine when he first got here. He has no knowledge of whatever it is you're thinking, he wasn't programmed with it."

You could feel Thor shift, his hearty laughter bouncing off the walls of his ship. "You jest. No one is preprogrammed with knowledge, it's taught, even improvised. It's common sense."

"Adam was made in a literal machine." You emphasized your words by moving your hands, trying to explain further so Thor could understand. However, it didn't stick.

"Machine or not. He can still learn." Thor wasn't wrong, and that had you pushing back the hope you didn't really want to acknowledge.

"Thor. Adam was born to be perfect, someone so perfect doesn't have a need for shit like that. Especially when the Sovereign literally make their children in pods, so stop trying to make it work." You didn't know if you were trying to convince him or yourself.

"It just sounds like you're in denial my dear, like you don't want to believe that he can love past companionship." Thor gave you a sly smirk, nudging your shoulder gently. "Don't worry your secret is safe with me."

You could feel your cheeks beginning to heat up, "Thor that's not funny. I don't even—he's just—I'm not—oh fuck off."

Thor laughed again, finding amusement over you being a stuttering mess. You didn't find it as entertaining, hating that you let it get to you as much as it did.

The calming silence that fell over you both was comforting, the weight being off your shoulders and the tightness in your chest was gone. It felt nice to just enjoy the weightlessness. Thor made a small noise, almost a grunt to break the silence. You refocused your gaze on him, waiting for him to speak what was on his mind.

"You know, let's assume he was taught." You hummed in acknowledgment of his words, as he continued. "Who would he confide in his emotions to?"

You froze, that question never crossing your mind. "I'm not sure. He doesn't talk to anyone besides the guardians, even then that's still a slim possibility, considering most of us rarely talk about emotions in general."

You could practically hear the gears running on overtime within your and Thor's head. The silence that fell over you only lasted a few seconds before Thor started throwing out ideas. "Who's someone that's close to you, someone that has actually been in a relationship or experienced love in such a way."

You hummed, "Well considering Adam doesn't understand that. I think someone who experiences emotions in large quantities would be enough."

Thor rested his chin on the palm of his hand, "You don't think it could Lyra, or what was his name... the babysitter."

"Drax." Just as you corrected him you froze. The mention of Lyra and Drax had the gears in your head beginning to turn in a consistent manner. "No, he couldn't be, could he?"

"He could. I used to talk to Stark about Jane and me, as weird as that sounds." The mention of Stark had you both looking down at your hands, feeling like it was only yesterday when he made his sacrifice. Thor cleared his throat again, much harder and gruffer than before, fighting off his own inner battle of regret.

"He was the only one in a bit more stable relationship than the rest of us, I didn't know Bart well enough to ask him." Thor's response was all you needed to hear before you groaned loudly, repeating 'no' over and over again.

You were holding your head in your hands, "I don't like Adam like that-" 

"Like I said, your secret is safe with me." Thor was smirking as you peaked through your fingers, shooting him a glare before you went back to your uncomfortable rant. "If Drax and Lyra are really trying to explain something as vast and versatile as the emotion love, then it's going to be all out of wack. Drax is way too literal and up front, and Lyra—Lyra only knows from movies and books."

At the mention of each of their takes on love, Thor laughed to the point of tears holding onto his sides. It was bad enough you were already concerned but now you were more than embarrassed. You wanted the world to swallow you whole, wanting to be anywhere but here in the moment.

Thor's gentle nudge of your shoulder had your panic cease for a moment. "My dear sweet sister, it's only an assumption. If you're right about your golden god, then you have nothing to worry about because he couldn't possibly 'have a need for that shit.'"

Thor's teasing tone from quoting you made you groan again, however, what he said was accurate. You really didn't have anything to worry about if you were right about Adam.

You and Thor decided to join the kids outside after cleaning up the mess you made, and a long hug filled with more than enough apologies on your end.

The day went on beautifully, most of the kids swam around and picked up quick on the games Thor would teach them. Lyra was at your side most of the time, helping you search for pretty shells and sand dollars. Drax was watching intently from the sidelines, making sure all the kids were accounted for and safe. Adam was besides Drax mostly talking with him and you couldn't help but remember your earlier conversation with Thor, and when their eyes locked onto your own you quickly averted your gaze back to Lyra.

It had only been a few hours before the kids got hungry, meaning it was just about lunch time. So, you and Thor set up the little snack bar for them to enjoy which you didn't think was necessary, but Thor had already spent so much on the supplies that you just went along with it. The kids were more than happy eating whatever was given to them, mostly the few sweet treats that Thor had provided.

"Mother?" The soft voice of Lyra had your head turning down to her from your conversation with Drax, "Yes sweetheart?"

You could see her brows knit together, her blue eyes wandering around the room while she fidgeted with the towel hugged against her chest. She looked nervous, and you couldn't help but feel worried. When she didn't respond immediately you bent down on one knee to be eye level with her.

"Lyra, what is it? Is something wrong?" You gently brushed her hair out of her face, feeling her gently lean into your touch.

Lyra shook her head, "No mother, but can you and I go back to town."

You could see her worried expression waiting for your answer, you weren't going to say no, but you were curious why she needed to go there. "Can I ask why?"

Lyra's eyes looked to the empty snack bowl that was once filled with sweets, then back you. "Bort, the treats are gone. I seen a—how do you say—cake?"

You could feel your heart swell; she was just the cutest. "Of course, sweetie. would you like to go now?"

Lyra immediately nodded her head, already grabbing ahold of your hand to guide you out of the ship. You pulled back gently, making sure to tell Drax and Thor where you and Lyra were going.

The walk to the town felt short, even though it appeared a lot further than you expected. You enjoyed the heat of the sun, the gentle breeze that swayed along the tropical trees. The town was a lot prettier than from the ship, the walls had beautiful waves etched into it, the clay of blue settled nicely with the faint hue of orange on each building. Some were darker shades some were lighter shades, not one building being like the last, they all had their own unique look to them. You could see wooden signs, their language burned into them, hanging over certain buildings. Through glass windows you spotted people nestled within seats, chatting or making purchases. It felt like home, much calmer than other planets you had previously visited.

Lyra tugged your hand down an ally, you could hear the loud voices and footsteps echoing from the very end of the alley. You were blinded from the sun's rays, and when you stepped back out into the street the hanging of cloth shielded the blinding sun. You could see that this was the busiest part of this coastal town, there were vendors with food, clothing, antiques and so on. You were in awe at the sight, not realizing just how much you missed such a sight, you half expected them to flock toward you to sell their items, but they seemed more immersed in each other. You followed behind Lyra as she weaved through the buzz of the market, you felt uneasy, but each local, vendor or not, would give you a warm smile and a slight bow.

Lyra finally let go of your hand, coming to an abrupt stop in front of a small limestone building. It had a small paper sign stung across the top, with what looked to be leaves on either side of the name 'blessed goods'.

You were expecting Lyra to run in, but she was standing idly by the entrance, waiting for you to enter first. You could practically see her body shaking with anticipation, and she nearly toppled over you as you swung the door open.

A clatter of shells and glass hung atop the door, swaying and clanking against one another to signal someone had entered. The first thing you noticed was the scent, it hit you like a ton of bricks; the richness of the smells settles on your tongue nearly making you drool. It was similar to the smell of a bakery, vanilla, caramel, even coffee, but it was so much better than just a usual bakery from Terra.

Lyra was quick to pick out what she wanted, the cupcake that sat within a small container from a large open fridge. The sight of a frosting sat on top; a vanilla cake nestled beneath it, it looked like a pink carnation, a flower you vaguely remembered.

You glanced at the contents in the fridge. They held cupcakes, and smaller cakes; each one was different but still had the theme of earth flowers, they were breathtaking. It surprised you to see even the faintest knowledge of Terra was known even as far as this planet.

"Is it okay to get this one?" Lyra's voice snapped you out of your daze, her blue eyes begging as she held up the cupcake.

You nod, giving in to the temptation of the baked goods. "Yes, I think I'm going to get one too."

You were looking up and down at all the floral cakes, before deciding to grab one that had a sunflower on top. Just as your fingers grazed against the cool plastic, you could feel a gentle hand against yours stopping you from fully grabbing onto it. You turned to your left, making eye contact with a much older man. Thinking you had done something wrong; you bowed your head slightly and apologized. When you looked back up, you were met with a sweet smile on the shop owners face, it was nothing but sincere.

"I don't think that's the cake for you, how about this one?" His soft voice was just as sweet as he looked, his grey hair peeking through the scarf wrapped around his head as his wrinkled hands gently guided your own to wrap around another container.

You wanted to ask why you couldn't just take the sunflower, but the sight of what looked to be daisy had you speechless. He seemed to hum at your surprised and wondering expression,

"It is for new beginnings. I have studied these flowers in my youth from Terra, it is a beautiful place. You must miss it."

You could feel your head spin, "How did you-"

"Your daughter speaks highly of you; I was just happy to listen." His soft smile never left as he looked down at Lyra who had a blush spreading across her face in embarrassment having been caught. "I would like to recommend this one as well, for your friend, he leaves soon does he not?"

The old man shifted around you to the other side of the fridge, plucking another container from the display shelf. Forget-me-not, a flower you least expected to see with such detail in the petals and colors.

You nodded your head, deciding Lyra had spoken with too much detail about your trip, but you couldn't be mad. "Yes, and thank you so much. These are beautiful, your attention to detail is mind boggling. They look so real."

"Yes, they do, however, I do not spend as much time on them as you would think. They aren't just regular old pastries, each one is crafted for someone specific, either a gift or for personal pleasure." His voice faded as he wandered behind the counter, pointing to some of the floral paintings on the walls and a list that sat upon the counter. "I know which ones are needed for those who enter, these flowers have meanings, and I aid in their message."

You looked at some of the cookies that sat on the countertop, small dots of leaves and lilies frosted atop, a sign sitting next to them with the words 'be the change you want to see' scribbled on it.

You looked behind him in the kitchen, not catching a single glimpse of utensils or baking items. It was just a blank canvas, all the paint was sitting upon the pallet, and the brush nonexistent, yet it still created the most beautiful masterpiece in all of existence.

The realization made your hair stand on end, looking down at the cupcakes you were about to buy. "You're not some normal old baker... are you?"

"No." His sweet smile didn't falter as he began to bag the pastries, "I dabble in sorcery, it makes the clean up much easier."

You slouched your shoulders in relief, then you covered your mouth shaking your head and giggling. "I should've known, no normal baker could add so much detail in frosting without some sort of magic."

The man laughed, taking his time in the conversation. "Indeed, not many can excel in the arts, but I put it to use in my love for baking."

You hummed, waiting for a price on the items but he leaned against the counter closer to you pointing to a poster along the bottom of the counter. "Speaking of magic, you arrived on the night of the festival that only happens once every century. You must join in on this beautiful tradition of the shower of stars carried across the planet, it is said to give good fortune of love and abundance."

Lyra squealed from behind you, grabbing onto your shirt tugging roughly. "Mother, please. I won't ask for anything else; please can we see the stars?!"

"Lyra-" You really didn't want to stay much longer, the whole trip was nearly ruined not too long ago.

You looked down to Lyra, and as you did you watched her expression contort, her eyes going wide as her bottom lip pouted out, her hands clasped together in front of her chest. Her voice begging as she pleaded once again. "Please, mother."

She knew just how to make you crack with her puppy eyes; she really was going to be the bane of your existence. You sighed gently ruffling her hair, "I would love to go, but it's not me you have to convince. You have to get Drax to-"

After your words of agreement left your mouth Lyra was already tugging you out of the store, she didn't even let you finish paying or speaking as the bag of sweets were somehow within her grasp.

You tried to pull back, but she was already out the door when you heard the shop owner call out from behind you. "No need to pay, just enjoy the festival. It starts at dusk!"

And with that you and Lyra practically sprinted back to the ship, her pulling you along the path down to the beach.

Drax was happy to agree, not only because he had a soft spot for the kids but also because if he didn't, he would never hear the end of it. So, when dusk started to approach quickly, everyone made their way into town. The only source of light was the setting sun and the bright lights from the center of town, like a guiding light in the dark.

Love was holding onto your hand while she held onto Thor's. It felt nice to just watch the dancing and singing of all the locals.

Love swayed your hands back and forth to the beat of the drums, her laugh following alongside the instruments strumming. There was a faint flicker from above as the sun disappeared over the Horizen, the music becoming increasing louder. Thor had let go of Love's hand, her grip along your fingers were warm as she guided you to dance along with her. You swayed your arms with hers, moving your body along to the words being sung. It didn't take long for the native music to switch up, having a faster pace than before. You could practically feel the drums vibrating the core of your body, the once soft vocals harmonized into something much rougher. It was like a ritual, lifting your very soul from your body.

Lyra's footsteps and voice went unnoticed as you lifted Love twirling her around. Lyra nearly yanked your hands away from Love's as you set her down, you could see the faint glow of purple unraveling within Love's eyes as she glared at Lyra. She was quick to grab your hand, hiding behind you to avoid the death glare from the other girl, you couldn't help but feel disappointment drip from your lips as you looked down to Lyra.

"Why didn't you just ask sweetheart?" You were afraid your voice was drowned out by the music but the way Lyra pulled away and looked up to you, her blue eyes shimmer in the light from her misty eyes, you knew your scolding didn't go unheard.

When Lyra didn't respond you looked over to Love, whose purple eyes went back to their natural color, her arms were crossed over her chest. You knew that she wanted an apology, which you thought was fair considering what Lyra had done.

"Lyra, that wasn't very nice. Can you apologize to Love?" You could feel her grip against your hand loosen, her blue eyes darting from you to Love.

"Mother, I—" Lyra couldn't find the words, her mouth falling open and closed as she struggled. The small huff that left her lips mixed into a sob, her hand withdrawing from your own as tears began to spill down her cheeks. You were quick to reach out for her again, but she was already running the other way.

Guilt sat within your chest, as you gave an apologetic smile to Love before running after Lyra. You could hear her voice fade out into the distance as Thor's voice followed, you ignored both of them as you attempted to track down where Lyra had gone.

It felt like hours of searching, but with adrenaline coursing through your veins it was only half an hour. You checked around the markets, into buildings that still had dim lights on, out by the ship and even back at the flower shop but you came up empty handed.

You called out Lyra's name, looking at the outskirts of town. Once again you tried to call her name, hoping for her to call back but you were only met with faint sounds of laughter, music and the crashing of waves. The guilt now sat in the back of your throat, not wanting to give up on finding her, but with each passing second it felt like you were drifting further. Just when you were about to turn and look elsewhere, your eyes caught sight of two silhouettes closer to the beach. Your body moved faster than your mind could keep up with, your heart hammering in your chest as you drew near. The faint voices growing louder with each step, you were quick to embrace the small figure, nearly crushing her within your hold as you let out a sigh of relief.

"Don't run off like that, you nearly gave me a heart attack!" Lyra let out a sound of discomfort as you held her close, her arms hooked at her sides as she struggled to speak but the familiar silky tone interrupted.

"I apologize; I should have brought her to you when I found her." Adam stood from his sitting position, bowing slightly in acknowledgement of his misjudgment. You couldn't care less what he had to say, ignoring him all together as you set Lyra down.

"Why did you run off? I thought you and Love were friends. what happened?" You weren't trying to hide the bit of anger and concern that surfaced, holding Lyra's shoulders so she wouldn't run off again. Her gaze shifted downward trying to hide her expression from you as she spoke,

"We are, I don't like that she stole you." You didn't know what to respond with, you already knew she was a bit jealous to begin with, but you didn't know she would do something so harsh.

Her voice trembled, as she took a deep breath in not being able to hide her annoyance. "Ever since Uncle Thor showed up, you don't spend time with me anymore, it's like I don't exist. I don't want to feel this way but I—I just want my mother."

Your heart broke, the lump in your throat returning at her words. Your grip tightened on her shoulders as you pulled her close, gently wrapping your arms around Lyra, her tears beginning to stain the collar of your shirt. Her small arms were quick to wrap around your neck as she cried, letting all of her pent-up emotions out.

You could feel your heart pounding in your ears, the guilt slipping down your cheeks. The thought that you were so caught up in your own problems you couldn't even give your sweet child the love and happiness you promised. You were so angry before, so sad.

The denial that Lyra appreciated Adam more than you was a mutual feeling that you both felt, jealousy running deeply through your veins you didn't even know you were ignoring it with the emotions on Rocket and Adam. There was a lot you had left to unbag, Thor got the brunt of it while Lyra was stuck watching from the back lines as your relationship blossomed, feeling like she was being left behind.

You never couldn't have imagined that her emotions were coming closer and closer to matching your own, except she wasn't able to hide them like you had, not being able to ignore the aching in her chest when she saw you smiling and laughing with Love. That's the beauty of innocence, the ability to let her emotions run rampant without fear of being judged, being able to let it out within hours, days, compared to the years you spent suffering. She didn't deserve to feel the way you did, she didn't need the weight, the pain. She can't fight that much was obvious, she didn't need to not when you were here.

This was all your fault. You keep pushing and pushing, you didn't even realize you were pushing your little girl away. The little girl who meant more to you than any being, any friend, any weight or pain you felt. She deserves the world, and you were sick of letting your emotions cloud your judgment on people who had nothing to do with the cause.

"I'm so sorry sweetheart. I never—I couldn't—I didn't—I never wanted you to feel like you didn't matter but I was so focused on Thor that I didn't even notice you were hurting." You were finding it harder to breathe as you buried your tears in her hair. You couldn't let the guilt eat you, not now, not when there was a better time. She needed to enjoy the festival her time here instead of what you failed at. "It's okay to be jealous but you shouldn't hurt Love like that. It was my fault, not hers. I promise I'll do better and after Thor leaves, you'll have my undivided attention." 

Lyra pulled away slightly to wipe away the few tears that fell, a small smile finding its way to her features. She was holding onto your shoulder as she looked up to you, "Can we watch movies, the ones from earth. A-and can you make that—what is the word—popcorn?"

You could feel your chest tighten, your eyes misting over as you nodded along to her question, "yes we can have as many movie nights as you want."

Lyra looked over to Adam who was watching the whole thing unfold, his hands clenching and unclenching before his arms folded against his chest as a soft smile was directed at the little girl at your side. You could feel her lean against your chest again a sigh leaving her lips, as she took another deep inhale as she wiped snot against her sleeve.

"Would it be okay for Adam to join us? Like before, when we would all-" her words were drowned out at you caught sight of Adam soft gaze on your quick glance in his direction.

You knew what she wanted, but you didn't know if you could provide that. The time you spent running from his need to be a friend, his need to get on your good side after everything he had done to Rocket, your family. Then, his warm embrace, his feather light touches, his voice, the comfort he brought to your soul, everything about him screamed to be your friend and your mind went to more.

You hated the way your spirit lifted from hope, using the fuel from rage and tears bringing a gulf of flames between your relationship. Every time he was near there was a tug on your soul, welcoming you with open arms and you ignored it over and over again. Your soul never sang so many sonnets, poems dripping from each pump of your heart, each tear that fell from your face dripping like the drums of the music playing in the background.

You focused on the sound of music, feel the haze build within your body, the numb feeling hiding away your growing emotions. The focus was Lyra, not Adam, you can't focus on two whole earth-shattering emotions. This whole day has been filled with way too many ups and downs and you didn't know if you had it in you for another rollercoaster ride.

"Of course, Lyra, anything you want. What do you say we go talk to Love and Thor, and get this all sorted out?" You licked your lips, tasting the faint hint of salt from your stray tears. Lyra's soft nod against your palm, was enough for you to stand. Guiding her hand into your own, as Adam stood idly beside you.

You wanted to say something, anything. The thought that he was going to give you that same sweet smile, that velvet voice comforting you with just a simple 'it's okay' was enough to have goosebumps appear along your skin. You wanted it but fought against it.

Lyra gently let go of your hand, letting it slip away from your hold. She knew something you didn't, her earlier outburst was out of her system, something more finding its way into the look she gave Adam. The lack of words was deafening, it was like their silence said more than enough as Lyra nodded. Her small arms wrapping around him to give him a soft hug, then she began to walk back toward the festival. You turned, about to follow alongside her, it was awkward enough being this close and you didn't need to focus on him, not now.

Adam's hand grabbed along your forearm, the tingle bloomed across your entire body from the contact of him holding you back and keeping you in place. You felt annoyance rise from his touch, you were fighting the urge to stay, to give in.

"Adam. I need to-" your voice caught in your throat, feeling him pull you into his chest, his arms wrapping beautifully around your waist. You didn't fight it, you didn't try to pull away, you just let him rest his chin against your shoulder while you inhaled softly. The scent of the Devine graced your scenes, the soft bits of salt and honey mixed with the familiar scent from earlier in the day. The shirt he wore was tainted in the bakery, nearly numbing your senses of him.

You could feel the gentle push against your shoulder, his hand nearly engulfing your shoulder as he stepped back keeping a short distance between you. His gaze was on the entirety of your being, like he was seeing past the skin, past the bone, right into your very thing that kept your spirit contained. The golden hue of his eyes glistening in the faint light of the town behind you, the moons faint peak over the oceans horizon made this feel like some sick romantic movie.

His hand gripped tightly on the thing within his hold, you never realized he was even holding anything. You were going to ask but he was quick to hold it out, popping open the seal and letting the floral smell inflame your nostrils. The lavender, citrusy undertones and spice had your heartbeat loudly in your ears. You couldn't fight the gentle hold it had on your body as Adam gently picked up the cupcake,

"I had purchased this for you, I was told that this was the perfect flower for you." Adam was quick to pull it back slightly, like he had realized something at his words, "I apologize, I should have asked if you wanted such a silly thing. I know you don't-"

You were quick to hold his hand, losing the internal battle within yourself. The hold you had against his hand set a flame burning in your abdomen, allowing it to simmer instead of pushing it away. Your gaze lingered on the cupcake seeing the familiar hints of red, and whites framing the flower of a primrose.

"No. It's okay, thank you." You could feel his grip loosening on the cake, letting you take over your hold on it while he closed the lid of the packaging. You watched his eyes wander down to your lips as you took a bite, the soft feel of the cake was a much softer than you imagined, it was airy, filled with so much in each tingle of sweet flavor telling you a story that you didn't know you were part of. The flicker of the flame rose higher than you could've imagined. You swallowed hard, fighting back the urge to run from the feeling it gave you.

"Have you ever had a cupcake before?" You could see Adam jump slightly, his gaze flicking away from your lips and back up to your eyes. He was quick to shake his head, glancing down at the cake once again then back up to you.

You were gentle in guiding it toward his lips, holding your breath waiting for him to take a bite. The hope was continuing to burn brighter, it was like the cake itself was the sole reason you were making such a bold move.

Adam's lips parted slightly, taking a small bite to see if he liked it. You watched his face go from calm to complete joy in a matter of seconds, he was quick to take a much bigger bite leaving you with the rest as he hummed in satisfaction. You were smiling so hard your face hurt, the laugh erupted from you as you laid the rest on your tongue letting the love drip from your soul.

"That was very pleasant, I do believe I enjoy these cupcakes." Adam licked his bottom lip, whisking away the faint red of the frosting from the corners of his mouth.

You nodded in agreement, letting the crumbs fall from your fingers and onto the sand. The faintest glimmer of light peaked along the dark of night, the stars disappearing at the brightness of the shooting star. Adam was quick to follow your gaze up, watching as stars began to fall from the sky itself.

You were to engulf in the beauty, realizing now this is the magic the old man had spoken of. It stole your breath away, the sight nearly making you topple over from following where they fell.

"Stardust..." Adam's voice was quiet, you could feel the gentle touch of his hand against your own. He was holding both in one hand as he guided them to his chest, cradling them softly. "Earlier, back home, the thing I wanted to say..."

You were now looking back at him, watching as the stars shined off of his eyes. You wondered if he could see them shimmer from your own, he looked beautiful, more than beautiful. It was like when you first laid eyes on him, that stern look was now softened significantly, like he wasn't even that same machine. He looked more human, acted more human, he was different in a good way, a way that had you yearning in the worst way possible.

"I know I was let out of my cocoon early, and we didn't meet under the best circumstances, but I am very grateful that you were the one to teach and help me become accustomed to this new life." You could feel his heartbeat increase under your palms, and that fight you were battling earlier was coming back as Adam took another deep breath in. "I know I am meant to be the very being that defines perfection but when I look at you all I see are the things I lack. I wish to be more for you, perfect for you."

You could feel anger beginning to rise, the anger pushing hard against the need, the want. The lump in your throat nearly choking you as you inhaled sharply, holding your breath. You weren't ready, not for this. As much as you hoped, you spent so long behind the veil of annoyance and anger. Now, that he was speaking, giving you his heart, you weren't sure if you were happy with it.

It was the most beautiful place, the most beautiful moment in any time or space imaginable. You loved him, that much was evident, but your heart still ached dully for a past you could not obtain, a future far from your reach, with someone who doesn't exist anymore.

"I know what these feeling is now, these feelings that seem to continue to grow with every moment I spend with you. I know I am jealous, protective over the others stealing your attention from me, but it all comes from the place I've been trying to understand. I can feel my very soul reaching out to you, it's as if it's calling to me." Adam inhaled sharply again, leaning closer to you in the process, letting his breath fan along your face in a delicate manner. You were on the verge of tears, not from happiness but from sadness.

You could hear the waves crashing, the music getting increasing louder. The festival, the cupcake, the music like a ritual, the taste of the frosting lingering on your tongue like you were having an allergic reaction. There was a swell in your throat.

You could see the past, the vision you wanted for your future.

'You have a life to live, don't let anyone stop you from living it.'

You realized now, you were the person stopping yourself from living. His blue eyes still haunting your nightmares, his touch, his voice screaming calling out to you from the far of reaches of space. The tug against your soul was not to him, no, it was to the golden man in front of you.

You were willing to rid him off your shoulders to embrace this new feeling with open arms, yet you were fighting so hard to keep the last piece of you tethered to Earth, to a family you once had. The thought that it would drift away accepting someone so new, so different from the ones before, would mean it never existed. That the time on earth was nothing more than a dull planet that had no significance besides hurting you in the worst ways possible. You couldn't let Terra be such a place, you wanted it to be your home a place you can still run to, but if you let Adam in then there was no way you'd want to go back. You would want to say on Nowhere, stay with the guardians and be someone more to him and Lyra.

"No. No. Please don't say it, please don't say it." Your words fell from your thoughts and out your lips before you could stop them, Adam paused but smiled softly letting one of his hands to cup your face.

"I know Stardust. I know you're scared, and I am too but I need to tell you. I need to tell you that I know this feeling now and It's—I-" Adam leaned closer his lips gently ghosting over your forehead, a gesture you'd do to Lyra that he must have figured was a gesture of... Gods, you couldn't even say it now. Not when he-

"I love you." Adam's voice was soft. It hurt to hear those words. You hated him, you hated yourself, you didn't want to feel so angry, but it blinded you.

Everything kept adding up, you hated that Rocket's confession couldn't amount to the way Adam's made you feel, it was burning your entire body. You were happy, excited that all that hoping didn't go to waste. But now, you couldn't possibly accept it not now, not when everything was still fresh. Lyra needed you; you needed to talk to Rocket, Thor was leaving. There was so much going on, and the universe just kept adding on more and more shit to the pile, the pile you made.

You really hated yourself.

You let the anger out before you could grab ahold of it, projecting your own fear into the man in front of you as you shoved him away from you. He stumbled back, landing roughly in the sand while you stood over him. You could see the sadness in his eyes, the tears were threatening to spill, and you were fighting against the sympathy brushing past your caged heart. The emotions you shared earlier in the day were long forgotten, as you pondered on your thoughts from earlier.

"You've got to be kidding me, so much for being the perfect human. Do you even know what love is? Do you even have the slightest clue to what you just admitted to?!" You fought back the tears; you fought so hard to keep yourself afloat. Adam stared up at you the tears falling down his cheeks that seemed so foreign like he wasn't meant to show such emotion.

You loved him and it hurt. You couldn't let him be swallowed by your past issues, to be loved by someone who couldn't even admit the feelings were mutual. His heart was pure, and you were going to taint it, no matter how hard you would try to cradle and nurture it, you would end up cracking it under your pressure. He was the perfect being, literally created to be just that, a better version of yourself so how could you possibly amount to being a partner he needed.

"Can't you see that the entirety of our 'friendship' was nothing more than a mission given to me by Rocket. I would've never agreed if it hadn't been for him threatening me from joining the Guardians. Do you even think about anyone but yourself? You got to go save the universe and I was stuck on Nowhere doing nothing because of you, and you think we're friends?!"

He had no need for that shit. He didn't need you; you didn't need him. You weren't going to believe for a second that he knew what he wanted, much less you. You were going to continue to believe that, that this was nothing more than people filling his head with sick love stories and tales of happy endings that weren't real.

"Now that the mission is over, I don't have to pretend to be nice and you know what? You think you're the perfect human being, but you're nothing but a child with powers and your ego is higher than anyone I've ever met. Did you really think I would love a machine? A monster like you?" The venom dripped from every word, as your chest rose and fell frantically. Adam was still on the ground biting back his words as you continued to spew out your anger.

You kept pushing and pushing. You didn't mean it. You didn't mean anything, you knew that, but it was so hard to just let Terra go. To let him stay in the void in your heart where Steve once resided. Adam was perfect, and he proved it every day, but you were far from it. You could never amount to what he needed, and that sucked. You hated yourself more with every word, every lie to keep him far far away from your shitty life.

"I never wanted you here or anywhere near me. If it was up to me, I would've left you with the High Evolutionary, I would've left you to burn up in that shit hole because then you wouldn't be taking Lyra from me and worked your way into every aspect of my life." You finally let your shoulders slouch, watching as Adam turned away, his earlier words long forgotten as you gulped down the lump in your throat.

"I hate you."

If you're reading this then, yes, the description is clickbait cuz it doesn't happen till way later in this short ahh story I'm writing.

None of this is proofread.

Follows the mcu timeline so keep up!

However I’d like to inform you that this is very much simplified and is based around vol.3 of Guardians of The Galaxy as well as Endgame, a small brief moment of Love and Thunder and the Holiday Special.

Enjoy and pls don't come for me, I'm just having fun and simping for this golden mf :)

Your life growing up on Earth was normal, it was simple and easy. You defiantly had it a lot easier than most kids your age, your parents weren't wealthy by any means, but they worked enough to keep you through school, annual trips and any interest or hobbies you had. Life was definitely complicated; it has a way of going so smoothly then immediately taking a quick turnaround.

You noticed many changes and small things you never noticed before, as you got older you started to realize some things didn't add up. You were one of the only kids who never had a story of hospital trips or broken bones. That is until you realized, in your early youth, that you weren't like many of your other peers. You had a condition, or so you thought.

You had an inhuman amount of strength which didn't fully begin to develop until your early teen years. The early signs in your youth were a healing factor you didn't even realize you had. Your mother called it a "blessing," a display of a Devine power watching over her only child, and your father couldn't agree more but that didn't stop them from worrying for your safety; not wanting you to make outrageous decisions. You had been through more than a handful of dangerous things, not limited to pretty hard falls, sporting accidents and worst of all. a car accident.

Your mother thought it was a blessing, but it was far from it, it was a horrible curse that tore you away from your family. That was a day you'd never forget, it was the day you lost both your parents. It was supposed to be a simple run to the grocery store, but you wanted to get ice cream with the money you earned at your first job. What growing young adult wouldn't want to spend their first paycheck on something they love?

What a sick way for life to show you just how horrible it can be.

"I want to do something nice for my favorite parents."

"We're your only parents, goofy."

"The best."

It was so wholesome, so relaxed. Nothing in that moment mattered. Then, just as your father slowed down at the stop light a car driving way over the speed limit rammed into the back of your car. It wouldn't have been as bad if it stopped at that but as traffic was picking up a semi slammed into the right side, everything spiraled from there. more than five to six cars were crumbled, tossed and turned. It wasn't just your parents you lost; many others were critically injured with only four deaths.

You woke up in the hospital weeks after, your body resting to heal all the wounds that the accident caused, it didn't take long for the world around you to haze together in a never-ending loop. You spent years fading in and out of consciousness, hurting more people than you'd like to just to get some sort of feeling within your chest.

It was mid-April when they found you, 'they' being SHEILD. They had been watching you for a long time, according to Nick Fury, an odd fatherly figure you had become close too.

They trained you, made you a strong independent young adult. They helped you control your strength, to hide your weaknesses and to be just what they needed for years to come. One question always plagued your mind and that was how you came to be. It was a mystery even to the knowledge of anyone in SHEILD, but you were still accepted, loved, happy even especially when you found out they had their own group called the Avengers.

In those years you made friends, or at least that's what you considered them. It was like a small group of friends that you worked with, but it was all you ever knew, and what you needed. You had met someone too, someone who rivaled your raw strength and endurance, his name was Steve Rogers. He was a superhuman from the past, a past you only head from in history books without any mentions of Hydra.

You fought alongside them before the Snap.

You became close to Rocket and Nebula during the aftermath of Thanos' cleanse. Their whole friend group was gone and with no one else to turn to, you welcomed them in without hesitation, letting them bunk in your small space. Yes, the remaining Avenger's welcomed them too but not as closely as you had, not as emotionally intimate.

You were nothing short of sweet with an even shorter fuse, a surprising mix the two didn't expected from an innocent, young looking Terran. You and Nebula had various heated arguments, although none of it was taken to heart due to missing the ones you've lost, which none of you could blame the other for. As much as Nebula was easy to annoy, she was just as hardheaded, completely stubborn to any of your helping words or actions. Rocket was just about the same dare you say a little less.

It took you years to break Nebula down enough to even have her talk about her sister; Rocket folded after a few to many drinks after only a year, speaking little of his younger years, mostly his inability to form a decent connection he didn't ruin.

They both came to you to deal with their sadness, and guilt. Each time one of them came to you, you'd dropped everything to welcome them in with open arms and sweet words to help them through each panic attacks, wants of self-harm and fears.

You weren't just Rocket and Nebulas rock; you were everyone's remaining will to keep pushing forward during those dark days. You lost so little compared to them... so little. It's funny, your lack of loss felt like nothing compared to the hardships they faced. You lost most of your friends from joining SHIELD then the Avenger's and your parents were lucky enough to not see what the world had come too. Everyone in the Avengers were close to you but none of them were as close to you as the only person you had left. Steve had been your stone during the whole five years of collapse on Earth. It may not have felt like much, but he was the closest thing you had to family left until you met Rocket and Nebula, then life felt just a little fuller.

You and Steve had an understanding, a mutual agreement to keep yourselves afloat. You knew he still missed Peggy, even after all these years. That didn't stop you from catching feelings, feeling you knew were wrong and forbidden, but those five years opened up your eyes to what kind of person he really was. Just like everyone else he would come to you when it started to really gnaw at him, and those nights spent talking, crying about anything and everything were just that... everything to you in the most bittersweet way possible.

After everything happened, defeating Thanos for good, losing a close friend not only to you but to Steve, gaining back the ones that were snapped away, Rocket had come to you after everything had been set back to semi-normal lively hood. He offered you the possibility of joining his crew and becoming a Guardian, but you refused at first, saying you had things to make sure were in order, but it was mostly to stay beside Steve but like everything good, it didn't last long.

When Steve left to travel back in time to return the stones, you already knew the outcome and every ounce of your being ached with betrayal, not at him but at yourself. You still harbored small feelings even after his dull blue eyes looked up at you, his soft hug embracing you so gently you thought you'd melt. He may have been much much older but that didn't stop you from bursting into tears at losing not only a friend but a love interest.

"You have a life to live too, don't let anyone stop you from living it."

You knew he finally got his wish, his happy ending living life with Peggy you knew the hold on your feelings for him were fantasy and delusion. It hurt more than you would like to admit but you were happy, happy he got everything he dreamed of having and more.

After that you found no real reason to stay on Earth and with everything that had led up to that, you said good-bye to your life on Earth and started a new chapter as not only an ex-Avenger but now a Guardian of The Galaxy.

You will be happy to know that the description in no longer click bait! However now I realized I strayed from it...

This is uncharted territory now. So, that means I can finally get creative with my writing instead of having boring bs that follows the MCU timeline. I know, I did this to myself so idk why I'm complaining. Anyways, it's gonna be a bit of a better, longer reading experience... yay... don't forget the angst tho.

I have no idea how many more parts there are going to be so stay with me while we figure that out. I will be naming these after songs I listen on repeat while writing them, so don't pay the weird names any attention.

Enjoy and pls don't come for me, I'm just having fun and simping for this golden mf :)

Your heart was in your throat as you looked at the piercing blue eyes. His gaze lingering on the small child curled up against your leg. The little girl was hiding behind you, away from his view.

You didn't know what to do, you couldn't believe it. It had been so long since you've seen such a familiar yet unfamiliar face. The surprise visit had your whole-body buzzing, it felt like a dream. You couldn't tell if you wanted to cry or jump into his arms.

You could feel the small hands tighten their grip on your leg, your attention drifting to her for a second. You could tell she was nervous, scared. You followed her gaze too the much older child standing beside him. She was stoic, much like the man that stood before you. Her eyes were the most beautiful emerald and ocean blue. You looked back up to the man, your eyes already becoming itchy from the swell of tears.

"Say something..." you felt the words drip out of your mouth before you could even think. There was a moment where everything stilled, like nothing else mattered but the four of you in your own pocket of space.

It wasn't long before the blonde man broke into a large smile, warming the space around you. It was like a breath of fresh air, completely making you forget any problems you may have had.

"My dear, you know I keep my promises." You could hear the crunch of gravel as he took quick steps toward you. You could feel his warmth envelope you in a bear hug. "You big baby."

You let out a laugh mixed with a sob as you wrapped your arms around his neck, burying your face in his shoulder. The faint scent of honey and lavender encased your nostrils, not realizing just how much you missed his hugs. It felt like a small piece of you was back in place, it reminded you of times you'd go on school trips and come home to your mother, like the warmth of the fire, like home.

The small girl behind you tugged on your shirt, bringing your attention away from the Asgardian. Thor let out a hum, looking down at the small girl holding onto your pants. His grip loosened from around your waist, crouching down to the small girl with a large smile plastered on his face. "Well, hello there sweetheart. Aren't you just the cutest. What's your name?"

You could see her gaze look to you then back to Thor, her brain not registering what was happening. She looked at you again, like she was asking permission to speak, "Go ahead, tell him your name."

She nodded and looked back at Thor, her hand extending like her nervousness from earlier was nonexistent. "Lyra."

Thor had a proud smile on his face as he shook her hand, which had engulfed her smaller one. "Thor Odison. It's nice to meet you."

Thor's gaze lingered on Lyra for a moment, taking in her features. He glanced to you then back, letting out a soft hum. "You know, you look nothing like..."

You huffed, gently shoving his shoulder, cutting him off before he could continue. "It's a long story. but what about you? Who is this beautiful young lady?"

You looked at the girl still standing at his side, she looked at you then at Thor before he nodded at her, motioning to you. You didn't have time to understand what exactly was happening before her arms wrapped around your waist, nearly squeezing the life out of you. You stumbled back a bit, before gently placing your hand on her shoulder and cupping the back of her head.

"Uncle Thor told me a lot about you." Her sweet voice matched her sweet face, it nearly had you spilling tears again as you looked at Thor who rubbed the back of his neck, clearly embarrassed. She continued, "You can call me Love."

"Well, Love. It's so nice to meet you. Where did Thor find such a cutie like you." You felt her pull away as you brushed a bit of her hair behind her ear, she smiled up at you enjoying the special treatment.

Thor chuckled, "That is also a long story..."

"How long are you staying?" You could feel Lyra cling back to your side, holding onto your hand a familiar look in her eyes as she stared at Love. You already knew she was a bit jealous.

"Only a few days, I also brought you a gift." Thor gently placed his hand against the small of your back, guiding you to the ship he had come in.

You and Thor talked all night, sharing a glass of mead and tears. He talked about Jane, how he adopted Love and so on. You told him about the High Evolutionary, the guardians, and how you had an unmistakable motherly bond to Lyra.

It didn't take long for the new day too start, the endless buzz of mead keeping you bouncy as you fed the animals. Thor was looking at some of them with Love, her eyes filled with wonder at the variety. Lyra stood beside them, telling them the names. You could see her proud smile. It took a while but once you taught her the names, she jumped at any opportunity to tell anyone and everyone about them. You thought nothing could ruin your day, but then a familiar voice began to echo down the street. The excitement, to show Thor Nowhere and all of the hard work you all put into rebuilding it, disappeared.

"I see you started earlier than I was informed." Adam stood beside you, watching as you fed one of the few animals left. You could feel annoyance beginning to brim at the corners of your very being, wanting to tell him it was to avoid him ruining the next few days with a friend. 

"Sorry." You could feel his gaze linger on you as you finished up the last of your work, but then you felt the wind get knocked out of you as Lyra ran to embrace Adam. It was painfully obvious she adored him more than you'd like but you knew better than to include her on your feelings toward Adam.

Lyra excitedly explained what was going on, grabbing onto Adam's hand to guide him toward Love and Thor. "This is Uncle Thor and my new friend Love."

"Uncle?" Adam was unfamiliar with the word, glancing at you. 

You couldn't even form the words to begin even explaining what exactly Thor was too you, but you knew it would be way more confusing. "My brother."

"Brother? Thats a new one. I never expected you to have a soft spot for me my dear." Thor was quick to tease you. You could already feel the embarrassment beginning to warm up your cheeks, "Shut up, I just missed you. Don't make me regret it."

Thor chuckled before fixing his gaze on Adam. He looked him up and down and hummed, " I don't believe I've seen any midgard with such a golden completion."

"I am Adam Warlock of the sovereign, not this midgard you speak of." Adam was quick to correct him, an unfamiliar edge to his words as he looked Thor up and down, sizing him up.

You spoke without thinking, "The sovereign were created to be the perfect humans. Can you believe it?" the sarcasm dripped off of each word as you looked at Thor. You hoped none of them noticed, already regretting speaking.

However, Thor let out a hearty laugh. "Why do humans think they can perfect themselves? That's impossible, not even gods can be so perfect."

You could see a flash of sadness in Adam's eyes then as a familiar sensation began floating around your heart, but you chose to ignore it deciding it was best to just stay quiet and let it be.

"What the flark are you doing here?!" The booming voice of Rocket had your head turning, eyes widening and fear building within your chest.

Did he hear you?

"Rabbit! It's been far too long." Thor was quick to walked towards Rocket, rubbing his hand atop his head and nearly tipping him over in the process. Rocket was quick to swat his hand away, "Can you not, you piece of-"

"I heard you're the one watching over my old crew?" Thor completely ignored Rocket, already jumping in conversation. You couldn't help but smile, completely forgetting why you were worried in the first place.

The day went on with Thor reminiscing about the guardians, explaining to Adam, Love and Lyra a completely bs story that had both you and Rocket rolling your eyes. It didn't take long for the mead to be brought up and Rocket joining in on drinking, he wasn't trying to hide how annoyed with Thor he was, but you knew otherwise.

"If you think for a second, we're gonna have you living here-" Rocket glanced to Thor, his words holding a certain edge to it. You could see from his expression that he wasn't impressed with the scene before him, his ears barely drawing back and tail twitching, While the god was leaning back in his seat, his arm wrapped snuggly around your shoulder. 

"Live here? Oh no, I came to visit some old friends, and my sweet little sis." Thor rocked you back and forth in his hold, you both drinking much more than you had anticipated, you knew because Thor was very physical in his affections. You didn't mind, enjoying his presence and the attention. You didn't realize just how much you missed him and how easily he got you to relax, you didn't even care for his tease of calling you, his sister. You could feel Rockets gaze burning into your side, when you looked back it was no longer a glare but a much softer expression that he flashed your way before going back to stoic.

"Sister huh? When'd you come to that arrangement? "Rocket took another long gulp from his cup, eyes glowing slightly enjoying the soft burn forming in his stomach.

"Called this big idiot brother earlier and he won't let it go." You nudged Thor's side, his hand removing from your shoulder as he let out a dramatic hiss of pain. "You wound me my dear."

You chuckled, deciding to stand and get more mead in your cup. As you stood your foot went over the other, the familiar jump in your chest had you correcting your missed footing before you fell. There was a hand against your shoulder to steady you, the familiar feel of cool metal had your whole-body tingle, goosebumps already forming on your skin.

"How much have you drank?" The soft tease from Nebula had you blushing from embarrassment, standing up right to look into her dark eyes. "Not too much, why don't you join us?"

"I could use a drink; I'll use my personal supply. You know I don't like how sweet the mead is, especially from goldie locks." You chuckled at her name for Thor, already following beside her as she went into the back of the canteen. The silence was nice while you filled your cup once again, the only sound was the dribble of liquid and glasses clanking together as Nebula searched for her own beverage. Once she found it, she stood beside you to fill her glass with the dark amber liquid of her choice.

"You might wanna bring some of that to Rocket." You were about to grab the bottle, but she huffed, taking it before you could snatch it. You gave her a confused looked before she turned around and pulled out a similar bottle, "It's not as strong as this."

You hummed nodding in agreement, "your right, yours not have a higher content?" Nebula shrugged, "I'm not looking to get drunk, just want to have fun."

You hummed, taking a sip of the freshly poured mead, but you paused. Rocket had a whole bottle of his favorite whiskey, and he wasn't drinking it. You look at the mead and Rocket's bottle then to Nebula. "If Rocket has that then why isn't he drinking it?"

Nebula gave her own look of confusion, "He's been drinking mead this whole time?"

You nodded, your brain working overtime to figure out why Rocket wouldn't just come back here and grab it. "He's been drinking with Thor and I."

Your head began to hurt thinking about it too much. You offered an excuse; not sure what else it could be. "You know how much I like wine, and it doesn't have a high content compared to that rubbing alcohol Rocket likes..." You felt guilt begin to cloud your thoughts. "...Maybe I should've offered him something else."

You could tell something clicked in Nebula's head, like dots connecting together and piecing together what exactly was happening. You wanted to ask, hating being left in the dark at what could possibly be going on, but you didn't have time. Nebula had a knowing smirk, wrapping her arm around your shoulder to guide you back out into the lively get together of the crew. It didn't take long for the question to leave your brain, the sight before you had your whole body flushed with excitement. Not only was it just Thor and Rocket, but it seemed most of Nowhere were already setting up in the canteen and outside. The beautiful lights hung from the walls, painting it in bright colors, the faint sound of music began to play and the laughter and chatter already setting the mood of a party.

You looked over to Thor and Rocket, Thor had giant smile on his face while Rocket had a pleading look in his eyes and a quick flick of his ear, you knew Thor was nearly at the point of being drunk. Rocket would never openly plan for something like this. 

Nebula was quick to find her own spot in the corner, not in the mood to socialize without a few drinks.

Thor was already standing and wobbling his way over to you with a big goofy grin. "I asked around earlier and thought it would be fun to have a party. My stay is short, so I wanted to make the most of it, don't you agree my dear sister."

You felt your cheeks flush with embarrassment, he was going to never let that go. "Yea, yea. Will Love be okay staying with the other kids for tonight?"

Thor deadpanned, his smile dropping for a second before bringing it back much brighter than before. "Of course, she knows I'm here if she needs anything. She's a strong kid."

You nodded in acknowledgement, "I'm going to finish my drink then I'll join you in mingling with the others and please don't make them uncomfortable."

Thor only laughed, "You jest, I am the good of making people feel comfortable."

You rolled your eyes, watching as he strode off into the growing crowd.

The night felt like a dream, it was nice to dance and talk to people you haven't caught up with in a while. Thor was already drunk, babbling on and on about his adventures, his past, being very over the top with his descriptions and hand gestures. Nebula was dancing with you earlier but went right back to business and spoke with someone about their plans for a new building. Cosmo, Howard and Kraglin had started up a gambling game in the corner, and Howard was winning like always. Rocket was already making jabs at people and causing fights. You had to bring him back to the table to cool off because someone looked at him weird, and you didn't need anyone getting hurt.

"Flarkin people judging me for having fun, looking at me like I'm some kind of freak." Rocket was already downing another shot, his tense shoulders and twitching ears showed you just how pissed he was. "Come on, no one's judging you."

"Sounds like you're on their side." Rocket snapped, his words already slurring together. You rolled your eyes, taking a sip of your own drink. "I'm not on anyone's side. I just think you had a few to many."

Rocket made a sound mixed between a laugh and a scoff. "Ya really think I'm drunk, you don't know me, this is nothing."

You leaned against your palm, looking at the crowd of people dancing and mingling. It felt like your eyes would be stuck behind your head from how many times you've rolled your eyes tonight and dealing with a drunk Rocket wasn't helping.

"I'm not saying you can't drink more. You just don't have to start fights with anyone who looks at you weird." You turned your attention back to the raccoon, who was already look at you, an unimpressed look on his fluffy face. "You didn't hear what he said, so don't go accusing me of wanting to beat some random guy."

You couldn't deny that Rocket had a point, you didn't know why it started, only that Rocket was cussing the poor man out and already reaching for one of the many weapons hidden on him. "What did he say?"

Rocket froze, his ear twitched as his tails puffed out slightly, but just as quickly he began pouring himself another shot. He was going to avoid answering at all costs, you knew it. You quickly snatched the glass from him, holding it just out of his reach while you hummed waiting for him to explain.

"Hey!" Rocket reached for the drink only for you to hold it out further. The growling and bared teeth would've scared you if you hadn't known Rocket for so long. "Tell me and you'll get it back. It must've been embarrassing if you don't wanna talk about."

"It doesn't matter. Just drop it." Rocket reached for the bottle, deciding the fight for the glass wasn't worth it if he could just drink from the bottle. You were quick to snatch that away too, now he had nothing, and you had it all. You could see the look in his gaze shift into a glare. "Stop playin around, I'll bite you."

"Ooo, I'm shaking Captain." You challenged his glare, giving a playful smirk. You already knew he wouldn't harm you; that's just who Rocket was. It's not like he couldn't just go get another bottle, but it seemed to have slipped his mind as he sighed, "Sweetheart, please. It wasn't a big deal, now please just-"

"nu-uh. Come on, it couldn't 'ave been that bad. Can't you be the Rocket who wanted head rubs and told me everything." You gently nudged his shoulder, but you could tell something was wrong as he turned away from you. You thought maybe you went too far, that feeling of guilt coming back once again. "Oh shit. I'm sorry Rocket, I didn't mean it."

You placed the glasses back in front of him, he turned back to you his annoyance peaking through in his body language, but his eyes held so much emotion it genuinely scared you at how they looked into your own. You decided it was best to just continue on, hoping Rocket would forgive you. You steered away from the earlier conversation, hoping the change of subject would help.

It didn't take long for the tense atmosphere to switch back to his soft hues, enlightening the very mood of the entire canteen. Rocket was quick to join the next gambling game in the corner of the room, leaving you with yourself while you watched everyone dance. You felt the calmest you've been in a while, the fear of not being able to join the guardians was no longer lingering in your chest.

It had only been a few months of having Adam entangled in your everyday life, his habits already being somewhat bearable. Rocket noticed the changes in your dynamic, which he praised you for. You would never admit it, but as you got to know Adam, you realized he was genuinely funny even if he didn't mean to be. He always got you to crack a smile like you didn't hate him. He still had problems with boundaries, always being so close to you that you swore he was doing it to get under your skin. Especially after the incident with Lyra. There was a whole week where Adam would cradle your face in his palm when you showed any signs of being upset or sad. He would ask what was wrong and gently rub circles against your cheek like he was waiting for the tears to fall again. It was embarrassing, especially when he had done it in front of Nebula then it got worse when he did it in Rocket's office, in front of Rocket.

You didn't adopt Lyra, but she considered you her mom always speaking that familiar word in Orbose when she greeted you. Much like Adam she was always at your side, if she didn't have any classes. Her and Adam got pretty close when you'd be too busy helping Nebula set up signs and fixing small things around Nowhere or if you were helping Drax run a field trip and when he would need your help in much bigger project for the kids. No one talked about the three of you, so you assumed it wasn't as big of a deal as you thought. It was a weird dynamic between you, Adam and Lyra. You tried not to think to much about it, afraid being too deep in that thought would have you punching the golden man for worming his way into the deepest darkest part of your heart.

"Are you alright my dear?" Thor's booming voice made you jump in fear; he chuckled softly at your surprised expression staring up at him.

"What are you doing over here alone? Let's dance! Have fun! No moping while I'm here." Thor was quick to scoop you from out of your seat. You let out a gasp of surprise while he carried you to the small group of people dancing.

You couldn't stop yourself from laughing, trying to squirm away from his grasp. "Thor please. I'm not a child I can walk by myself."

"Ah, of course but you would not have joined me if I did not carry you." His gentle nudge while he held you, had you bounce slightly in his hold. You could feel your heartbeat increase; afraid he might drop you.

The beat of the music rang in your ears while Thor's laugh rang through the canteen, the upbeat music had your chest thumping along. Thor twirled with you in his hold, making you giggle, holding onto him still frightened of falling. "Okay, Okay, I will dance. Put me down!"

Your hand came up to tussle his hair askew, the blonde strand covering his face as he finally set you back onto the ground. His hand came up to brush his air back, a goofy grin on his face as he grabbed your hands and began spinning you around.

All of your earlier thoughts were forgotten while you danced with the god. He partook in consuming the harder liquors while you only drank less than half of what he consumed. You could feel the buzz on your body while you downed another shot, Thor dragging you back to the dancefloor for another dance. It didn't take long before a slower song came on, you were on the bridge between a buzz and drunk, another shot, and you knew you'd be smiling and giggling at everything as Thor did.

Thor guided you while you danced, the slow rhythm was foreign to the upbeat music from earlier, but it was nice to be guided along in the steps he took. You couldn't stop laughing as he kept tripping over himself, obviously out of it compared to you. It felt like an eternity dancing to the song before you caught a brief shimmer of gold in your peripheral. The soft melody of the music was nothing compared to the pounding of your heart. As much as you hated the feeling, the want to see Adam outweighed any logical thoughts in your brain.

"May I have the next dance?" The familiar accent had your heart leap into your throat, nearly jumping out of Thor's grip. "Of course, my shiny friend, as long as you are alright with it My dear?"

Thor was still so polite as he paused, looking down at you then to the man that stood not too far. His golden eyes had a certain spark at the nickname Thor had called you, but it barely went noticed by you. You wanted to deny it, fighting off the feeling welling in your chest at Adam's words but once again your heart betrayed you.

"Of course, I'd love to dance." The slur in your words proved to you that you were definitely drunk. And right on que, the song ended.

Thor gently guided your hands to Adam, who quickly stood between you and the god. His grip on your hand was soft, comforting, guiding one to his shoulder while he cupped the other one. Adam's warmth was felt throughout your whole body, the alcohol seeming to heighten that effect while you kept your gaze away from his face. The song seemed to go on forever, the music being the only thing to fill the silence between you. Then, Adam gently pulled your body closer, his arms wrapping around your waist while you held onto his shoulders for support, afraid you'd slip over yourself.

"Why does he call you 'My dear?" You could feel the rumble against Adam's chest as he spoke, the warm feel of his breath against your face as he pulled back slightly. "He cares about me, loves me, it's just a nickname that means exactly that."

"So, I should call you my dear as well?" His bluntness had you stuttering over your words, not really sure how you felt. It was a mix of disgust and yearning, a deadly mix. You couldn't tell if you it was even real, if you had just heard him wrong.

Did you drink too much?

"I mean, I've known Thor for a long time. I think, dear suits me best from him." You didn't even know if that made sense, only feeling the gentle hum of his chest as you laid your head against it, sleep already becoming a nuisance.

"I must make up one of my own?" Adam was already lost in thought before you could respond, "Stardust?"

You couldn't help the shiver that ran up your spine. Stardust. It rang in your ears so beautifully from his tongue, like the nickname was meant for you. You could feel your mind race to fight off your heart, you knew you shouldn't be feeling this way. It made you hurt, annoyed but with the way your chest and heart burn so brightly, you knew you were so close to falling. barely tittering off the edge of the beauty of experiencing something you've longed for, not even thinking of past lovers just him. Adam. His voice, his enchanting scent of cologne, the warm feeling of his hands while they held you so delicately and the look of anticipation on his features.

"That sounds good. It's definitely unique." You watched a warm smile form, his eyes lightening up at the acceptance and praise. "My Stardust."

It wasn't long before the song ended, leaving you fuller than before. The feel of Adam's touch still lingered on your body as you sat beside Rocket who was just as drunk as you were. His gaze was piercing as he watched Adam take a seat next to Kraglin who had decided gambling was beyond him. You were too drunk to notice, only handing the raccoon another shot, you wanted to drown out the feeling in your heart that Adam left you with. And Rocket seemed just as eager as you.

As the night progressed Thor was already out like a light in the chair in front of you and Rocket. Nebula was the first to turn in, then others followed. It was just a hand full of people within the canteen now, and you couldn't deny you were slurring over your own words as you and Rocket were drawing small designs on Thor's face. It was only fair that the first to fall asleep at a party, received such a punishment.

It didn't take long for you both to leave the canteen, Rocket was singing along to the lyrics of the song that was last playing. His grip on your hand tightening as he tried to keep himself balanced.

"Ya know..." Rocket's voice cut through the silence, nearly making you jump from the suddenness. "Earlier... what that guy said."

You could feel your heart stop, the regret eating away at you for over stepping. "Sorry for bugging you about it."

"No-No it's okay, it just..." Rocket stopped, his hands moving around erratically to emphasize his words, then they fell to his side like he was pondering on continuing. 

"He mentioned Adam and the kid, sayin his chances with you were gone now that you started a family." Rocket hissed, his ears twitching, tail whipping back and forth, and his shoulders were tense. It definitely still got under his skin.

You were speechless, completely in shock at what was said. Your fear of others noticing how much time you've spent with Adam, ever since Rocket set you up to this task, wasn't just you being crazy. It made you want to throw yourself into space, just to get rid of the embarrassment and anger, but at the same time it was funny that some guy thought he had a chance with you. The alcohol helping to alleviate the stress from your body, clouding it over in a thick layer of amusement

You couldn't control the laugh bubbling up from your chest, "So that's what got you so worked up? An idiot who thinks I started a family."

Rocket paused, stuttering over himself. "Well yea. Believe me sweetheart, guys like that only want one thing and it's disgusting!"

"Don't act so pure, I've heard stories from Peter about you." Your laughter that was dying down came back at the expression on Rocket's face.

He crossed his arms over his chest, turning his head and groaning. "He doesn't know nothin', plus I know what's good for you and it ain't some idiot like that guy."

"Oh, so now you know what's good for me. I could be getting laid right now if you didn't have Adam and I cuffed together. This is your fault." You stuck your tongue out, enjoying the feeling in your chest from pride, giving back what he had given you.

"Bullshit. I ain't having you sleep with half of Nowhere while I'm here, none of 'em deserve you." Rocket looked up at you, challenging you and you weren't going to back down. "So, tell me who does? Since you seem to know me so well."

If you were being honest, your response was more of a joke which you thought he caught on to, but the way he paused had you thinking otherwise.

"I-" His eyes were wide, his whole body moved along with his deep breathes. "He-"

It scared you that you had Rocket speechless, it was so rare for him to not have a quick comeback. His fight for an answer had your heart pounding in your chest, not only was he struggling but he seemed to panic, his breathing going uneven as one of his paws found its way to the back of his neck. Rocket must've seen the concern on your face because he quickly corrected his posture, his eyes widening. It was like something clicked into place, that you weren't too sure what to make of it.

"I can't tell you, sweetheart." His almost cool even response made it seem like you had just imagined what you just witnessed. "Y'sure? Because you started freaking out. You can tell me anything, you know that."

You felt his grip against your hand, completely cutting off your worried voice. He didn't say anything, only rubbing small circles against the back of your hand as he turned his gaze away. You could feel the shift in the atmosphere, the tension had your stomach turn and your heart skip. He was fighting off something internally, you could feel it from the grip he had on your hand.

"You really don't know..." You could feel your brows scrunch together at his words, the familiar hint of regret confirmed to you that the walls he put up were slowly coming down. It still wasn't familiar to you just how easily he'd drop them around you.

You let go of his hand, he let a small whimper fall from his lips at the loss of contact. You sunk down onto one knee, cautiously reaching out to gently pet his head hoping the contact wouldn't make him snap at you but it seemed to have calmed him down,

"Rocket, it's okay. We were just joking around; I didn't mean to make you sad." Rocket quickly pulled away from your touch, the fur on his body standing on end. His annoyance was written on his face as his misty eyes looked up at you. "I wasn't joking. I know what's good for you!"

You felt yourself flinch away; afraid you might make him angrier if you so much as breathed wrong. You knew he didn't mean it, but the way the teeth showed in a snarl, had you second guessing yourself. You wanted to move, to walk away but something kept you in place, you didn't know if it was the fear or the way Rocket was trying so hard to push you away.

"I know what's good for you..." He repeated, sorrow seeping into each word. He took a cautious step toward you, waiting for you to leave and when you didn't his paw coming up to cup one side of your face in his palm. You couldn't breathe at the sight of a single tear that fell from his eyes as he continued, "...But you make it so hard to stay away."

You felt your whole world crumble around you.

This couldn't be happening.

This couldn't be happening.

You didn't want to believe Rocket and his confession, blaming the alcohol for everything that got you to this point. You couldn't fathom the mixed feelings within yourself. It hurt, it felt nice but most of all you could feel the regret. You wished it had been someone else, someone who didn't mean as much to you as Rocket did, but it was Rocket. And you couldn't bring yourself to speak, to think. After everything you went through, his past, your past, there was no way you could have predicted this outcome, not when you cried to him about Steve all those years ago. It felt like a distant memory now, a memory you didn't need to think about.

Rocket wasn't someone who fell in love, who wanted anything to do with a genuine relationship, he wanted fun nothing serious yet here he was telling you the opposite. He was telling you he felt more toward you than anyone else he's ever been with, that you were more than just a friend, more than someone he wanted to use. You couldn't come to terms with that. You couldn't believe it. You wanted to hate him, to yell at him for being so stupid but you knew that feeling all too well.

"Rocket, please don't-" You could feel your voice tremble.

"I mean it." You could feel his thumb gently rub against your cheek, the comfort in his words was making it harder and harder to say what you wanted. "I know its selfish, for wanting someone who was never mine to begin with."

You wanted to ask, to know what exactly he meant but you were completely caught off guard by the nuzzle of his face against your neck. He buried himself in your warmth, inhaling deeply. You could feel the warm droplets along your neck, knowing now what he was doing.

"It really is my fault for pushin' you right into his arms" You could feel his body shake, even through tears he chuckled, completely lost in his own thoughts. Yet, you still couldn't move past his words, his sadness eating its way into your heart, the fact he was right. You could feel your own eyes beginning to sting, still not understanding with what you were feeling.

Rocket let out a shaky breath, "Let me have you, just for a moment."

You could feel him pull away; you didn't have time to process his words as the faint tickle of whiskers danced against your face, the warm sandpaper of his tongue lingers over your cheeks swiping away the tears that had fallen. Rocket's breath fanned across your face, his tongue moving to the other to repeat what he had just done. Then you felt it, the gentle brush of his snout against your nose, then the faint flicker of his lips against your own. You could feel his sadness, his yearning, his anger in that short kiss while all you felt was regret.

Once he pulled away you could see the small smile on his face, sadness within his eyes. You wanted to comfort him to tell him it was going to be okay, that you were sorry, but you didn't get a chance to speak as he fell face first into the gravel. 

You wanted to help him, but you could feel a chuckle bubble within your chest. His confession, his kiss, it all fell to the back of your mind as the chuckled turned into full blown laughter. The gentle thump of footsteps catching your attention as you tried deciphering who it was through the tears in your eyes from laughing. Your grip on Rocket's arm loosened as you tried lifting him, your laughter making you weak.

"I am Groot." the familiar voice had you holding onto the tress arm, nodding along to his words while you caught your breath, finally lifting Rocket into your arms. "He did have too much to drink."

Groot nodded, holding onto your side while you inhaled deeply. "I am Groot?" 

You sniffled, wiping your eyes as you stood upright, "I'll be fine, just take care of Rocket. I'll see you tomorrow."

Groot was quick to scoop his friend from your grasp, carrying him back to his apartment while you stumbled over yourself to get back to your own. Your whole body was numb from the alcohol, the sway of your body had you stumble slightly. 

Rocket's words were still playing in your head, you could feel tears threatening to spill again. It honestly felt like a dream, like it wasn't real, but the damp cuff of your shirt proved enough that it did indeed happen. 

"Are you alright?" The familiar sound of Adam had your head snapping up in his direction. You couldn't stop the small smile from forming. "'m alright. Just going home."

"I can chaperone you, if you'd like Stardust?" The nickname made your stomach flutter, you thought you were going to throw up. Adam was quick to hook his arm around your waist, hoisting you up to stand but your body nearly had you both toppling over, not getting your feet to cooperate with you.

This was so embarrassing, not only were you drunk but you had Adam of all people helping you home. You didn't want his help, you wanted to push him away, but your whole body was warm, fuzzy, numb and weak and Rocket's words kept repeating in your head.

Adam couldn't possibly understand what love was, so you didn't know why your heart skipped a beat when he gave you those big golden puppy eyes, or when his touch lingered too long. His every action trying to please you, to make you like him. You wanted so badly to just enjoy the man Adam was. He was a sweet protective man who had you breathless with the bare minimum of what a man should be. He already wormed his way passed the walls you put up, setting camp up within the empty void Steve once laid.

You didn't want to think that Steve had left you, left you to live his dream with his first and only love. The Fear that Adam would do the same was gut wrenching, a genuine fear that left you with a trail of broken hearts because if Steve did it then the next one surely will. Steve was like a parasite in your heart, mind, body and soul. He ate away at any chance of falling for someone else. He was the one you saw a future with a future that doesn't exist and will never exist. It made sense to just leave it in the past, but you were stubborn, holding onto hope that you'd wake up in the Avenger tower to everyone, to him, like this was a bad dream.

"Stardust..." Adam's voice brought you out of your thoughts.

You could barely see him through the cloud of your vision, already knowing you had started to cry. 

You hated yourself for being so sensitive, so angry. "I'm sorry, I drank more than-"

"It's okay, I'm right here Stardust." Adam shushed you, his hand coming up to cup your cheek, swiping away the tears that fell from your cheeks. You leaned into his touch, allowing the tears to fall freely.

You will be happy to know that the description in no longer click bait!

This is uncharted territory now. So, that means I can finally get creative with my writing instead of having boring bs that follows the MCU timeline. I know, I did this to myself so idk why I'm complaining. Anyways, it's gonna be a bit of a better, longer reading experience... yay... don't forget the angst tho.

I have no idea how many more parts there are going to be so stay with me while we figure that out.

Enjoy and pls don't come for me, I'm just having fun and simping for this golden mf :)

You stood in Rocket's office in complete and utter shock at his request, you couldn't even form words in fear of blowing up. He took your silence as a 'go-ahead' to explain his request further. "It's only for a couple of months; I don't need any accidents out in the field because you couldn't control your temper."

His mention of you temper had your teeth clenching, biting back your tongue. His request was outrageous, you knew you couldn't even last a few minutes in the same room as the sovereign, that was the whole reason you were in Rocket's office to begin with. You knew this had to be his way of a joke, a sick joke. He must've found it entertaining to take a jab at your short temper, that was his sense of humor.

You started to take deep breaths, trying to calm yourself down thinking you were overreacting. Just when the sun began to peak over the horizon, Rocket had done the worst possible thing imaginable while you were angry, the little shit smirked. It was like he knew that his request had pissed you off and he was laughing about it.

You snapped, "It's not my fault he has a punchable face; I mean come on. what if one day he decides to run rampant? None of us could stop him the last time he was here. He nearly killed you! I can't just let that go."

Rocket pondered for a moment, but you knew he wasn't serious because his smirk was still plain as day on his lips. He sat there for a few more seconds before he scoffed, laying back in his chair and propping his feet against his desk, "Are you seriously worried about that? He's been here for almost a year, dontcha think he would've done something by now?"

"I..." You couldn't deny that you paused for a moment, the anger and annoyance disappearing. "I don't know..."

Rocket did have a point, if the Sovereign wanted you dead, he would've done something by now. He wouldn't be trying as hard as he did to fit in just to get back at you all, that'd be overkill.

Oh, how you hated being proven wrong, especially by a talking raccoon... who now had a shit eating grin on his face!

You could feel your anger boiling up again, already holding up a finger with a counterargument in mind, "...just because he saved Quill one-time doesn't magically make what he did excusable, and why do I have to babysit? Can't you just stick him with Nebula or Drax?"

And just as quickly as the pride set in for your argument, Rocket completely shattered it with more of the truth and a threat. "Like I said before, you need to control yourself around Adam, get to know him otherwise you aren't going on any missions."

"Rocket! I'm not a child. You can't just ground me from going on missions."

"You're throwing a tantrum right now. Tell me how that doesn't make you a child." You couldn't describe the overwhelming feeling to throw him out the window in that moment, it took all your self-restraint not to glare at him as is. "You can't tell me what to do fur-face."

"It's Captain Fur-face, so I think I have every right to tell you what to do." You could see his canines now. He was obviously pleased with his comeback.

You slammed your hand against his desk, glaring down at him with a finger pointed in his face. So much for self-restraint, "I'm not babysitting and that's final."

"Fine by me. That just makes this easier..." His demeanor switched up faster than you could process. His smile fading and a straight line forming where it once was. "I'll have to let you go, no missions, no guarding the galaxy, none of that. You'll be right here-"

You cut him off, not believing for a second he would do such a thing, "You're joking! You can't possibly be serious?"

He couldn't do that to you, could he?

"I've very serious. So, you can hand over the uniform and get the hell out of my office." You could feel your heart get caught in your throat, his expression was deathly serious. There was no twitch at the corner of his lips, nothing but that unamused look in his eyes like it was such an obvious thing.

You couldn't deny, the moment his words registered, you were sobered from your anger. It hurt the deepest part of your soul to hear him say he'd let you go, let all those years side by side go to waste, all because you couldn't get along with Adam.

How could you?

He was the reason Rocket almost died. He hurt everyone you cared about and acted as if he was this holy being that wouldn't hurt a fly.

"Rocket, please. I've told you enough times how I feel about-"

"And I told you a million times to get over it." You could feel the lump in your throat affect your ability to breath at his words.

His last words stuck, repeating in your head over and over.

You could already feel tears brim at the edge of your eyes. You quickly turn your head away from him, your arms coming up to cross over your chest. There was no way you were going to cry over something like this, not when he seems to be lacking empathy and understand on why you just couldn't accept Adam.

Over and over again. 'Get over it' repeated.

He made it sound like such an easy thing to do, but it wasn't. Not when you nearly lost ones you considered family, ones you've grown to love more than anything in the universe. It was like it meant nothing to him.

He couldn't be so cruel, could he?

He could, otherwise he wouldn't be threatening you with such a thing to begin with.

It hurt more thinking about it than you initially thought, because you could see the way Rocket shifted in his seat. He was already standing and stepping onto his desk to be level with you, his expression softening drastically. It was an expression you only saw when it was just you two, an expression that you were still so unfamiliar with.

"Come on sweetheart." His voice was just above a whisper as you felt his index and thumb against your chin. He turned your head to face him, his thumb wiping away the stay tear that had left your eye.

"Groot and I told you everyone deserves a second chance." You wanted to argue back that some people just weren't worth the effort, but you couldn't bring yourself to. You were afraid you would start sobbing if you attempted to speak, so you opted to staying silent as he continued speaking. "Use Nebula as an example. She's one of the daughters of Thanos. Thanos! And we still gave her a second chance and look how much she's done for us, does that mean nothing to you just because she was raised by him?"

You knew he already had your response by the flood of tears that spilled down your cheeks, "...No, she means everything too me."

He smiled softly, his other hand coming up to cup your cheek swiping away the stream of tears. You already knew his next words, and it made you lean into his touch to try and hide your face out of frustration. "Exactly, so just give golden boy a chance, yeah?"

It hurt that he was right, and you couldn't keep denying it. "Aye Captain. I'll try."

After that things felt more strained in your relationship with Rocket, you knew he wanted nothing but the best for his team and for you, but you couldn't bring yourself to welcome Adam with open arms. Rocket could see potential while  all you saw was a sovereign with incompetence, a child who lacked social skills, and proper battle etiquette. He was the very definition of a liability when it came to being a Guardian. The only thing he really did right was taking care of the f'saki and that still took months for him to figure out.

"May Blurp join us?" Adam had spoken much louder than you'd like, especially since you only stood a foot away from him.

You could already feel a migraine beginning to form, which was very rare for you to feel so, instead of answering you nodded your head. You knew if you spoke it would have revealed your annoyance and that would've compromised the 'get to know him' mission from Rocket.

You could feel the gentle paws of the f'saki against your leg, its small body was buzzing with excitement as it looked up at you. You couldn't lie, it was a goofy looking pet but he was definitely one of the more adorable pets you've encountered compared to the many weird creatures other planets considered pets.

You leaned down just enough to run your hand along the top of his head and behind his ears, and underneath his chin. There was a rumble within its throat that had it topple over onto its back, its whole body going limp wanting belly rubs. You couldn't stop the smile that found its way onto your features at the display, already forgetting the man standing beside you watching the whole scene.

You knew right then that Blurp was the only thing that was going to make your day with Adam more manageable, or at least you hoped his cuteness would keep you distracted from Adam's presence.

The first thing on your to-do list that day was feeding the animals, which wasn't to bad when you usually did it but with Adam by your side it was much more difficult. He would ask way too many questions with that annoyingly loud voice, like you were a world away when you were in fact two feet from him. It's not like you could just walk away or tell him to shut up, so you forced a polite smile and giving short, sweet answers. However, it didn't make it any better, he took it as an invitation to nag your ear off.

"What is the name of this creature?" Adam tilted his head slightly, watching as the animal took food from your palm and ran elsewhere to eat. "It's a monkey, like I've told you before."

You could hear the annoyance in your own voice, but it seemed to fly over Adam's head as he nodded, testing the name on his tongue. "What benefits do these monkeys have?"

You stuttered over yourself, honestly having no idea how to answer that. You may be from Earth but you had no clue what monkeys actually did to contribute to the life on Earth, which was embarrassing to say the least. You just shrugged, deciding it was best to just avoid answering it without embarrassing yourself.

Adam hummed, crouching down next to you to hold out his own palm for another to come take the pieces of fruit from his hand. His shoulder gently brushed your own, his warmth digging past the fabric of your shirt and to bare skin. He was like a walking heater, it was surprising he wasn't sweating from how high his body temperature was. You could already feel the gentle tingle crawl down your back as you shivered, he clearly didn't understand personal space.

Every now and again Blurp would nudge his head against your palm, like he knew you were already at your breaking point with his owner. It offered relief every so often, but it mostly had you just as annoyed. Not only did you feed him treats every now and again, you also scolding him when he tried to play with animals much larger than himself. Adam would watch as you chased the f'saki around the pin so he wouldn't get trampled, or if he scared off some of the animals.

Some pet owner Adam was.

Within the next hour you both were finally finished up, and setting off to do your next and final task of helping Drax with the kids, which wasn't your strong suit. You weren't very good with kids to begin with but more so now because you were tired, not just sleep tired but tired of keeping the facade of being friendly with Adam.

Drax was quick to put you to work, helping aid him in teaching the kids English. It wasn't to hard, most of them were very quick learners but as the classes went on one girl in particular had a hard time sounding out some of the words, so much so that she began to cry. You and Drax were very quick to comfort her, mostly Drax while you knelt beside watching silently and offering an apologetic smile.

She didn't seem to care what Drax was saying in their native language, only focusing her big teary eyes up at you. Then she spoke, so softly as she pointed at you. Drax had this really soft genuinely sweet grin on his face while he stood up, and when his attention turned to you it spread into a goofy shit eating grin. You were very confused, wondering what exactly was said.

"She asks for your comfort," His words felt like they were barely whispered into your ear, like it was supposed to be a secret, but you could tell there was a small hint of something else in his words. You could feel your face heat up out of embarrassment, your heart racing against your chest out of fear of doing something wrong. You grabbed ahold of Drax's shoulder, leaning up to his ear and whispering as quietly as possible, "I can't comfort her, I'm not good with kids you know this!"

Drax finally let out a laugh, that hint of something earlier must've been his attempt at hiding it. "I know, it's hilarious. You do not know the first thing about being a mother."

You never wanted to hit Drax in the face more in that moment, absolutely hating that he knew just as much as you that you were horrible with kids. "Can't you just... ya know be a dad and comfort her yourself?"

"Are you denying a child the want of a mother's comfort?" Drax's booming voice had your ears ring and your body flinching, you realized then that you had struck a nerve. "No, no, I mean you were a dad. You know more about this than I do."

Drax squinted his eyes slightly, before smiling. "I am a very good dad. This is your learning experience."

And with that Drax excused the kids and started to guide them toward the canteen for dinner. You were stuck with the still crying child and Adam, who was still sat in the same spot watching you intently. You were very close to just walking away but the pleading within her big vibrant blue eyes had you staying in place.

Your mind raced a million miles a minute while you pondered on what to do, instinctively you held her small hands in your own not sure on what to say or what to do. You rubbed gentle circles over her knuckles and that seemed to calm her down enough to just sniffling instead of the sobbing she was doing.

It took a few seconds before you spoke, "It's okay sweetheart..." Your brain short circuited after speaking. You didn't even know if she understood you but you tried your best to continue, tripping over your own words.

"I understand your frustration, it's hard to grasp such a confusing language. I had a hard time too." You took a deep breath, not realizing you had been holding it, then she spoke again saying something you couldn't even begin to understand. Her sobs from earlier came back much hard while she looked down at your hands, grip tightening slightly while the warm droplets began to drip onto the back of your hands.

You glanced over your shoulder to see if Drax was able to come translate but you could only see a glimpse of him through the window smiling while attending to the other kids. Shit, he was to busy. How were you even going to help if you couldn't even understand what she was saying, maybe you should've taken Drax up on that offer for lessons on the language. Maybe then you'd at least be able to understand some of what she had said, so you could offer at least some comfort.

"I was punished for being imperfect compared to my peers." Adam's distant voice had you turning your head to him, your blood beginning to boil at his trauma dump interruption.

Could he not see that you were stressed enough as it is?

"Adam, as much as I'd love to have a conversation with you I'm kind of in the middle of something." There was venom in your words as you snapped at the golden man sat not to far from you, your glare pierced directly into his golden eyes. His expression flashed with something you couldn't recognize before he quickly shook his head,

"No, no, not me, her." Adam looked to the girl in front of you, your gaze followed his as you felt your heart breaking for her.

You've been to these classes, seen how they laughed, interacted, but none of them had cried like this or spoken of their time on that ship, of the experiences they had. It was horrible, disgusting, that she had been dealing with this for so long and now it became to much for her to bare. The trauma was definitely still there, it hadn't even been a full year since you all rescued them from that horrible place. You couldn't understand how they could do that to such a sweet and smart little girl, who had the potential to be something more. It was the High Evolutionary so it did make sense but it didn't make it any less mournful.

"Oh, sweetheart. No one is going to punish you for not being able to understand something. You just have a unique way of learning, there's no reason for you to feel less than perfect." You wrapped your arms around her smaller form, completely forgetting about your worry from earlier, all that mattered was that she needed to feel better.

It didn't take long for her to sob into your shirt, gripping onto it like it was her lifeline. She started to repeat a different sentence into your chest, you obviously didn't understand it but Adam had this look on his face a much deeper more meaningful look that even made you want to cry. You didn't know what it was that had him standing up to leave but you ignored it, glad that he wasn't hooked to your hip.

You stayed with the little girl saying sweet encouraging words, lifting her onto your lap while she continued to cry. It was awhile of comforting her until she fell asleep within your hold. If she was just a regular child she would have fallen asleep ages ago so it didn't surprise you it took her so long.

You held her within your grasp while you followed along side Drax to where the children stayed, the building coming into view from down the street. Adam was following a ways behind you both, being oddly quite the whole walk there. You didn't want to admit that you loathed the silence, really wanting something to distract you from the feeling in your chest when you looked at the girl huddled close to the warmth of your body.

It was a strange feeling, the maternal feelings you felt. You wanted to protect her with your life, to love her and show her what it truly felt to have a loving parental figure. You couldn't deny that it felt nice to prioritize someone other than yourself, someone much smaller who had an opportunity to be more than you were. The more you looked at her, thought about her, you could feel that maternal feeling grow into something more of guilt.

The thought that those bright blue eyes she had belonged to someone you once knew, her smile brightening up a room, her hair taking shade of that lost love, and her whole personality being a mix of the two of you. You imagined her not as she was but as a child that you'd never have with said person. It hurt, it stung the deepest part of your soul to even imagine her as someone who would never exist, maybe this was why you were never good with kids. Because the kids would never be yours, never be his.

God, you hated yourself, hated that you still felt this way. Just the thought had your heart aching and your stomach turning. You always imagined what he was like, what it felt like to be with him, what being a parent would've been like with him at your side.

You would feel his soft touch against your stomach, his feather like kisses against your neck, his strong hands taking your own to help you out of bed, his voice whispering sweet nothings to you as he rested his head against your stomach whispering stories and I love yous to the baby growing there. His hands would rub small circles against your aching feet, he'd get you every food you craved, held you when you cried, lifted you with no effort to place kisses against your cheek, he'd give you words of encouragement on those hard days.

God, you couldn't even bring yourself to say his name, afraid you'd fall down deeper down this rabbit hole of what ifs.

You shouldn't be thinking of what ifs. He could be dead for all you knew, just another person on a long list of ones you've lost. So why does he still linger in your mind?

You've had more than a handful of boyfriends and dates, so why did he make a home in the deepest parts of your heart and soul when he finally had his happy ending and left you with a broken heart. Maybe it was because no one compared to him, they didn't have his smile, his personality, his way with words that had your heart thumping against your chest, or the chill that went up your spine when he held you close, or the feeling he gave you just by being in the same room. No one compared to him, your best friend, the forbidden fruit. the one you couldn't have.

Everywhere you went people got hurt, people left, people grew, and you were stuck here hooked on a past from a life time ago, refusing to forget, to get over it.

It's funny even now, Rocket's words continued to eat away at you. Maybe he was right, you just need to get over it and move on. You had everything you could ever wish for here on Nowhere. You had people you loved, people who genuinely cared about you, people who have done the absolute most for you no matter the trek, people you could call your family. So why did you feel so lost?

You felt your grip tighten on the girl in your hands.

It was her. Front the first moment you helped her from into Nowhere to escape the grasp of the High Evolutionary, she had an unfamiliar look in her eyes as she looked up at you, thanking you. It was as if you were the first person to show her genuine love, like you were the very being who created the galaxy she existed on. She acted as if she was lucky to even coexist with you, you could see it in the way she broke down when she couldn't be the perfect little girl one time. If she could only feel what you felt when you looked at her now. The urge to protect and love her as if she were your own. And as she slept in your arms, you knew she didn't want to be anywhere you weren't and that frightened you.

"Are you alright?" There was a gentle hand against your shoulder that had your attention snap to who had just saved you from your thoughts. To your surprise it was Adam. He was so quiet earlier you didn't even realize he had been watching you this whole time.

You wanted to speak, to say you were okay and that nothing was wrong but the look in his eyes and the way his brows knitted together told you that he already knew something wasn't right. His hand came up to gently cup your cheek, wiping away the tears you didn't even know had slipped out. You wanted to pull away, to tell him to fuck off but his warmth had you leaning into his touch without even thinking. You were embarrassed, annoyed that he's just watching you silently cry and you were letting him.

Adam doesn't say a word. He just continued to hold your face within his hand as he wiped more tears that spill down your cheeks. It made your heart skip a beat at the way he gently held you, like you were going to break if he even breathed and you hated that it felt nice to just be held.

You wanted him to say something, anything so this felt less awkward, so your brain would stop thinking but you couldn't deny that you liked he didn't prod for an answer.

"Why are you crying?" Drax had broken your silent moment with Adam, the other kids already long gone into the building.

You could feel your face heating up, the earlier embarrassment not comparing to what you felt now.

You pulled away from Adam's touch quickly, forcing a small smile while you brought the girl into Drax's arms. He looked down at her, then at you and Adam. Drax wanted to say something you knew it, but his gaze lingered on Adam for a bit longer before he decided it was best left unsaid.

If you're reading this then... the description is clickbait cuz it doesn't happen till way later in this short ahh story I'm writing.

Follows the MCU timeline so keep up!

However I’d like to inform you that this is very much simplified and is based around vol.3 of Guardians of The Galaxy as well as Endgame, a small brief moment of Love and Thunder and the Holiday Special.

Enjoy and pls don't come for me, I'm just having fun and simping for this golden mf :)

You helped Quill rewire the controls to the spaceport, your earlier entrance doing more than enough damage in the moment, but as you burned your finger against one wire you began to think that maybe it was too much damage. 

The sound of many small footsteps had you turning your head, the sight of the children had your heart aching in your chest. You knew they weren't as experimented on as much as Rocket had been but the thought still made a lump build in your throat. The rumble beneath your feet turned your attention toward the familiar sight of Nowhere, the port side readily waiting with Cosmo on the other side. 

The sight of home, made your nerves calm down for just a second. You ran toward the entrance while Cosmo took a ready stance to close the gap between the High Evolutionary ship and the celestial god's eye. 

Once the bridge was secure you jumped to the other side, helping children down off the ship and onto Nowhere. You held onto the hand of one of the little girls, a small smile up at you had your head turning toward her returning the smile but you caught the sight of gold in your peripheral that had stolen your full attention. 

Groot knelt beside the Sovereign man you loathed. Your body moved before you could fully register what you were going to do. The blade on your belt within your hand in seconds. Groot turned to look at you, his gentle smile dropping at the sight of the knife in your hands. You were stopped in your advance for the man laying behind Groot, his hand flew up to rest against your chest stopping you in your tracks. 

You looked into Groot's eyes. Your other hand coming up to shove his off your chest, but his branches wrapped around you, securing you in place while you struggled against him. You huffed after a moment glaring into Groot's eyes, scanning for an explanation, irritation already eating away at your very soul. 

"I am Groot." His words were slow, trying to calm your down. 

"No, I won't. You don't know what you're talking about, not after he-" before you could even finish your sentence the Sovreign stirred awake. 

He blinked up at you and Groot, slowly sitting up off the ground; his attention turning fully to Groot as his brows creased up in confusion at him. Then he spoke so softly, nearly finishing your sentence for you. "Why are you doing this? I tried to kill you." 

"See he even knows what he did, just let me-" you struggled against Groot's hold once again only for the branches to wrap tighter around you while he held you in place. 

"I am Groot." You could feel your jaw tighten at his words; the absolute betrayal you felt stung. 

You turned your head to glare at the golden man, your chest heaving while your gripped tightened on the blade in your palm.

There was a look of confusion on the man's face at Groot's words, then he glanced at you like some lost puppy, like you were going to translate for him. Then Drax spoke up, a look similar to your own as he translated. "He says, everyone deserves a second chance." 

The Sovereign looked back to you and Groot, a little less confused than before. You backed away from Groot's hold, he took the hint and slowly unwrapped you from his branches. You roughly sheathed your knife back into its cover dismissing the golden eyes that followed you. 

You knew if you continued to be this close to the bastard that nearly killed Rocket you'd be caged by Groot, and knowing there were more pressing matters at hand you followed alongside Drax as an example and continued helping the children. 

When the last of the kids were coming to a stop, you caught sight of Nebula carrying and guiding a few. You glanced behind her wondering where Rocket was. Quill beat you in questioning her about it, "Where's Rocket?" 

You could tell there was a flash of confusion, then worry on Nebula's features. "He's not here?" 

Her question was already answered by the look you each gave each other. 

You and the Guardians were on the hunt for Rocket after finding out he hadn't come back, you all decided finding him would be easier if you split up. You called his name loudly, but just like all the other time you were met with silence. 

You could feel the tension in the air at the sound of screaming from down the hall, you were quick on your feet in rushing to find the source and pulling out your knife. You peeked around the corner cautiously, only to be met with each of the guardian's taking turns in beating the High evolutionary. 

Gamora had kicked him with the right amount of force in your direction, and he fell right into your blade. He choked at the sensation of the cool metal buried deep in his ribs. You twisted the knife slightly, seeing the surprise in his expression as you pushed it down harder and twisted further. You could feel his breath fan against your face as he gasped, his hand draping over your hand that held the knife. You looked into his eyes for a moment, examining the man who wanted a perfect society. You scoffed; it was always the ones who lacked perfection that wanted such a thing. 

Quick footsteps approached at your side, the glimpse of emerald, green obscured your vision. Gamora had grabbed him by the throat pulling him off of your knife, she hummed softly as her hand came up to the side of his face where loose skin hung. 

The thought that this much damaged was caused by Rocket had your stomach turning in disgusted at the torn-up face of the High Evolutionary. The groups voices were drowned out as Rocket gently tapped the side of your thigh in comfort. He already knew what you were thinking and the mention of vengeance, not wanting you to fall victim to it more than you already were. 

With every breath you heaved in there was a burning in the back of your throat, you sighed heavily as you ran toward the spaceport. You readjusted the small raccoons within your hold. The confused look on the faces of your peers nearly made you trip face first if you hadn't caught yourself at the last second. You were going to warn them, but the sound of heavy footsteps shook the floor beneath you. You didn't waste any time in moving to the side, hoping you'd be out of the way for the bigger mammals running in after you. 

You could hear Cosmo over your comm, her strained words as the High Evolutionary's ship began to crumble just like her will. She was struggling to keep the bridge between them closed. 

You watched as Abilisks followed behind the mammals; you could see the goofy grin on Mantis' face as she guided them into the port. Just as the end of the line of animals began to disappear, there was another big explosion that sent you falling back into the wall, the raccoons within your hold jumped and ran alongside the other animals into Nowhere. 

You ran forward and grabbed hold of Nebula's hand as she jumped across, she nearly fell backwards but just when you pulled her in Cosmo's body finally gave out as she fell onto her side. You could feel your heart stop at the sight in front of you, Quill was sprinting toward the port. You could feel your heart jump as he was only a foot away from the edge, he was so close. 

You felt your heart leap in your throat at the sight of the crumbling floor beneath him, as he fell through the floor, landing harshly on his stomach. 

You could see the struggle in his movements as he tried to get up, the longer he took the further he got. 

"Quill hurry!" You could hear Drax yell from beside you. 

He can make it. 

He can make it. 

Those four words kept repeating as you watched Quill sprint toward the end of the port. Relief was already flooding over your body when he was able to fling himself forward through the small between the ships, but just as quickly it vanished. 

He was only a short distance away when the debris from the ship had blocked his straight shot toward Nowhere, holding him in the void of space. You could see his brows knit together as he floated slowly back his hands trying so desperately to reach out to you. His worried expression began to freeze in place, the void of space taking hold of his body. 

It was horrifying to see such a sight, none of the description of dying in space could compare to the horrors of the real thing. You could only watch as his face began to puff, the water within his body boiling and freezing over. 

You could hear the cries from Mantis and Groot. 

Groot tried to stretch out his branches to pull him back, and just as they stretched a few feet they began to freeze and break off. 

You couldn't see through the tears that began to cloud your vision, he wasn't going to make it. Without thinking you took quick steps forward, your hands reaching out toward Quill, you knew you wouldn't get far but you had to try no matter the cost. 

There was a hand on your shoulder that pulled you back into someone's chest, you wanted so desperately to punch whoever just pulled you back. But your glare came in contact with Drax, who had his arm securely around your waist holding you back so you wouldn't get yourself hurt too. Not even your body could last in space, no one's could. 

You looked back at Drax, already feeling anger rise in your chest as you sobbed. You tried breaking free, but you could tell from the look on his face that he wouldn't be letting you go. You wanted to scream at him, to yell at him but there was a quick thud from beside you that caught both of your attention. 

The Sovereign had Quill within his hold, as they lay on the ground. You and Drax wasted no time in running to Quill. Nebula had turned him onto his back while Mantis knelt beside him, her hand holding his shoulder. You waited, hoping he wasn't out there for too long. You could see his chest beginning to rise and fall, his eyes trained on Nebula as he strained to speak. 

"Did that look cool?" You couldn't help the small smile, of course he would try to make light of a serious situation. 

The tears and sobs that left you had your body crumbling, your hand finding its way against his chest. Nebula and Mantis helped to lift him up and you were one of the first few that wrapped your arms around him, feeling the below freezing temperature of his body. You could feel your tears staining his suit as well as hearing the silent cries from Mantis. 

You could feel Cosmo bump against your head as she began to lick Peter's face, giving him kisses. Quill's whole body moved as he chuckled, not being able to fight off Cosmo and her kisses with everyone wrapped around him. 

"Cosmo! I'm okay." 

You sighed into Peter's chest, feeling the warmth slowly starting to return to his body. The faint feeling of drowsiness ate away at your subconscious, knowing that when you got back to your apartment you'll be sleeping like a log. 

These last few days were definitely the most heart wrenching experience you've had in a long while. 

You awoke from your nap to knocking on your door. You sluggishly sat up, rubbing the sleep from your eyes as you lazily swung open the door. You were met with Mantis and Peter; you could tell from their expressions something was wrong. You assumed the worst, only for Mantis to embrace you in a tight hug. 

"We're leaving," Mantis' voice was just above a whisper, her expression hidden from view. 

"L-Leaving?" You stuttered over your words, not expecting the sudden statement being thrown in your face. 

"I'm going back to Earth," Quill gently wrapped his arms around you and Mantis, laying his chin on your shoulder. 

You could feel from how Mantis' gripped tightened that she could feel your sadness and worry. 

"It's no one's fault. We just need time to grow, find ourselves." Her words eased your worry a bit but then another worry took its place. 

"Will you be back?" You closed your eyes hoping they didn't hear how shaky your voice was, but you already knew Mantis felt just how heartbroken you were. 

"I-I don't know." Quill responded so quietly like he didn't want to give you false hope. 

There was another squeeze from Mantis that had you realizing that you were about to argue, not out of anger but out of heartache. 

You shakily sighed as you leaned further into their hold, letting the tears slip freely down your cheek's. "Just let me know how you're doing once in a while, or I'll find you and drag you back here. I swear." 

They both chuckled, slowly easing their hold on you as they spoke in unison. "We'll miss you too." 

You helped Nebula hand out food to the kids, one of them was hooked to your side keeping a tight grip on the hem of your suit as you walked around. The faint sound of music began to play through the speakers, your eyes finding their way to Rocket who was basking in the lyrics and instruments. You already knew what was going to happen and you couldn't help the smile that formed on your face at the scene unfolding before you. 

Everyone began to dance in the square, it felt like when you first celebrated on Nowhere. 

It made you feel light at the sight of everyone being able to let loose after such a horrible scare within the last three days. You even found yourself swaying to the music, holding the small girls' hands as you guided her alongside Nebula to dance. 

The howling laughter from Rocket had your head turning to him and Groot swaying their hips, kicking their feet and swinging their arms to the music. You could see Cosmo not too far off dancing with one of the toys she had, next to her the small F'saki jumping up and down. 

You looked around to find Drax, only for your gaze to land on the golden man sitting wrapped in a blanket. You could see his gaze on his pet, and as much as you wanted to feel annoyed or disgusted, you felt sadness. You quickly refrained from acknowledging that feeling and went back to enjoying yourself, not sparing another glance at the Sovereign. 

You could feel your head spin as you were twirled by Kraglin, his howling laughter ringing in your ears as you stumbled to regain your footing. He went right back to holding your hands to steady you, you laughed along with him going back to dancing. 

There was a short break in the song that allowed you to rest for a moment, your chest rising and falling as your heart thumped against your ears. 

You finally caught sight of Drax in the crowd of people, seeing the knowing expression on his face made you break out into an even wider smile. The beat started to pick up again and Drax finally let his body flail around to dance, letting out a holler of excitement. Cosmo's howl made your ears ring as everyone whooped and hollered out, the excitement and joy rippling through the entirety of Nowhere. 

You knew there was no place in the galaxy you wanted to be more than here.

~Rocket~

When he met you, it was that same gnawing feeling of annoyance. He messed with you, toyed with you like everyone else, his emotions being hidden behind the veil of bully. You would even match his energy when it came to his way of coping with his loss, the moment he tried to take a jab at your intelligence, looks, or fighting style, you'd end up having a comeback in seconds, making him falter only for a second. It was always serious to him, but you seemed to think it was a game. Your attempts at making it seem normal, like he wasn't just some walking freak to you was agitating, your words were sincere in the sickest ways possible, you were heaven-sent in each aspect.

He didn't know when it changed, when the words of your praise or tease seemed to lift him higher than anyone ever could, or the aching void in his chest that was eased from the bottom of a bottle now began turning into spending most nights crashing on your couch.

No one could have prepared him for when he didn't hate that you wanted to tag along with him and Nebula on their outings to search for her father or helping small parts of planets. All he had was the two of you, and that felt like enough for him. He'd never outright tell you just how much he needed to keep you around, but the way you smiled and laughed, even the very few moments your hands ran along his fur he knew you had an understanding and that was enough for him.

It started off innocent, the way his dark eyes would find you in a crowded room with little to no effort, your laugh from across the room making his ears perk, the anger rising when someone seemed to close for comfort, the sweet nicknames starting to make his chest ache. There were so many signs, so many efforts made to keep what he had concealed but when he nearly died, he couldn't seem to keep that pent up love for you at bay. It ate him whole every second of every day. He never had the guts to tell you, to accept the fact that maybe you would finally move on and be with someone who could worship the very ground you walked upon. He thought he had time, time to work out all the issues he had.

It was one of those days, those days where everything seemed to annoy him, even the slightest tick of a clock could send him over the edge. That pressure of being a leader and still figuring it all out was the worst. He was not only feeling like a failure but he was also missing the two friends that wanted to find themselves, like all those years of mourning did nothing to stop the inevitable downfall of the Guardians.

You were just the icing on the cake.

He adored your spirit but that day had been his last straw, he didn't care that you hated the Sovereign outside of missions but now it was affecting the team dynamic that he spent too long trying to compile. Usually, he could find himself forgiving you easily, making an exception for any trip ups the team could make but this particular day you had nearly ended up costing them the whole mission due to finally working alongside Adam.

He wasn't there to witness the exact events during the mission, or the training that took place days after but the moment he called you to his office, your hands were coated in a golden hue, and your bruised face said more than enough of what needed to happen.

He shouldn't have spoken, shouldn't have let his annoyance out weigh the fact you were a valuable asset to the team, but the fighting needed to stop. He loved you, and to see just how much hatred you held for Adam would end up costing him more than your life... he didn't know if he could handle that.

But if he had known he would be here, while he watched you dance with the golden man, your eyes dialted enough to tell you didn't harbor as much hatred toward him as before, even the way you laid your head against his chest like it was second nature, or your cheeks dusting a deeper red when you returned next to him. That ache in his chest doubled over in size, the jealousy and anger finally winning the fight as he downed the shot that was handed to him.

He didn't mean for it to spiral so soon, the soft blue light from Knowhere casting your skin in a beautiful glow. The soft buzz of street lights filling the comforting silence as he stumbled closer to you, he could feel the warmth radiating from you as you squeezed his hand gently. His heart tugged toward you in a moment of vulnerability as you smiled down at him, your eyes never seemed to judge him like others and he couldn't stop the words from leaving his lips.

"Ya know..." Rocket could feel his chest rise as he took a deep breath, he wanted to tell you everything, to explain to you how exactly you had changed his life for the better.

You were brought to him in the worst time of his life, having lost nearly everyone to a horrible disease that plagued half the universe. He couldn't forget the times you spent nursing his cold heart back to life, easing the pain with comforting talks and late nights sipping on wine or watching Terran movies. It was everything to him, even when you cried to him about Steve or brought yourself down to the depth of hell. He repaid the favor every night, letting you cry into his fur and comforting you with his listening ears because you both knew he didn't give great advice.

He held onto your every word and said them back when he could, trying harder each day to prove to you that you are not as broken as you think, that your anger wasn't as great, or your distance and loss were nothing to be ashamed of because grieving was different for everyone.

Rocket could see the way you'd space out less, your tears drying quicker, even if you still couldn't control the thoughts that intruded to make you doubt yourself, you still held a smile and a gentle hand out to those in need.

He couldn't even form the words of confession before they fell from his mind, his heart racing as he looked away from you, ashamed he couldn't voice how exactly you made him feel.

Rocket thought of something faster than his brain could process, a nasty taste in his mouth at the man who spoke when the night first started, "Earlier... what that guy said."

His heart sank, he continued the conversation like nothing happened, like he wasn't internally beating himself up over what exactly he had thought of doing, then he was given a second chance. He fought harder this time to keep his mouth shut even if your beautiful face was inches from his own.

He spilled words out before his drunken brain could process them, he could see the fear, the worry in your expression. His entire being was on fire as he seen the flicker in your eyes, the quick dart to the side like you wanted to leave. Then he felt it, the dull ache in his stomach of something horrible as it twisted like a knife, crushing his very heart and soul in one swift movement.

He couldn't shake the expression you held with Adam earlier, the way you smiled and laughed with him. Your cheeks dusted a familiar red just like all those years ago, when you spoke to Steve. He could see the signs in front of him yet he continued to ignore them just to stay beside you.

It was foolish, he thought he was getting better with you at his side but he clearly relied on you to be his happiness, happiness he couldn't obtain by himself. He didn't want to believe that you were just a fantasy that kept him from running, tail tucked between his legs. It stung but at the same time he felt clarity, a sense of calm at the tears slipping from your cheeks.

He had never felt like this for someone, and it felt nice to finally let it flow out his system even for a moment. You would never know just how beautiful, how kind and sweet you really are. Just like him you were blind, hiding behind a veil of guilt and horrible thoughts, never seeing the light until someone came along and made you question the very thing you loathed.

It's funny just how small the world seemed, how the universe had its own twisted way of showing you things you've tried and tried to avoid for so long.

"It really is my fault for pushin' you right into his arms" Rocket could feel his body tingle in anticipation, not because of excitement but because this would be the first and last time he would ever get this chance.

No matter how badly he wanted to show you everything you didn't see, he knew he was never the one for you but the ride surely was breathtakingly beautiful.

He thought, 'just for a moment,' and let his entire heart out, not with words but with a simple gut wrenching kiss that blocked out the screaming voices in his head to stop.

The morning after he had awoken in his bed, his fur was standing on end. The ache in his chest a constant reminder of what he had done, yet his brain failed to retain the information. Each attempt at remembering was left with a headache and numbing anxiety. Rocket couldn't even remember the last time he had felt this way, and no words could describe just how it felt to be that small raccoon again.

He could still see the look you had given Adam, the familiar sign of yearning that had swallowed you whole once upon a time. The same look you'd given Steve when you thought no one was looking, the heartbreaking smile of someone so deeply in love with another. He used to find it disgusting, annoying, but those days were a blur compared to the late nights when you'd cry drunkenly into his lap.

Rocket could still feel the tears dampening his fur, the way you'd looked up to him like he was the only one who understood just how agonizing it was to continue to exist without knowing the purpose. Those nights brought out something vulnerable inside of him, like looking in a mirror, it changed his whole perspective on exactly who you were as a whole.

After that he noticed everything about you, the quirks, the imperfections, the things that made you tick, the smallest looked over things in a person. He became obsessed with the idea in his head, hoarding all the smiles, faint pets along his temple, the laughter or the way your voice would raise in pitch when you were excited. He saw the walls you built up and took them down one at a time to see the tough act fall apart and see the scared child that hid beneath.

He could see the blindness to how sweet you actually were, the anger you thought consumed you, your selfish acts to those around you, the fear of losing someone close or not. All your insecurities were laid in front of him and all he could see was a version of himself that wasn't bent out of shape. A version of himself that didn't have to break to adapt to the new world around him. He yearned for you simply for existing, even if it meant never growing alongside you.

"I am Groot?" The words fell from above him in comforting waves that nearly made him gag, it was sickening to find the colossus bending down with worry. "I already told you (y/n) earned it back, it has nothing to do with that."

"I am Groot!" The familiar rumble sounded in Rockets ears as Groot stood back to his height, while Rocket flattened his ears down, already being caught with a simple response that made his tail puff in annoyance. "Would you can it, I still have a headache from last night."

The entirety of the past few years playing in his head, his heart hamming against his chest and the burning headache Rocket finally understood it was a better time than any, to finally let that weight off his chest fall away. He held your uniform within his paws, the soft scent that lingered was a constant reminder of what exactly he needed to do. He was tired of running, sick of spinning in circles and stepping on toes. The idea was to lay it flatly to keep some form of dignity.

Rocket could feel the weight of each step, the ache burning from his chest down to his paws. The weight of your uniform making him nearly topple over with how his entire heart sat in the bundle of clothes. He knew deep down this was selfish, every act leading up to this point was some form to keep you near and the uniform was no exception. This was going to be a goodbye and a new greeting, his confession sitting on his tongue while words replayed in his head to find the best.

He walked into the loading bay, the faint scent of your uniform forming a trail of where you resided in the large room. Rocket followed the trail, each step slower than the last, the fear finally beginning to gnaw at the back of his mind. Then he caught it, the all too familiar nudge of something sour in the back of his throat and the ache in his chest made him stop in his tracks.

In the distance he caught sight of you immediately, the look of worry, the longing in the eyes of the man beside you. Rocket felt like he was shot in the heart, the memories of the night flooding back in waves that shook him to his very core.

His muzzle trembled, his nose twitching in realization. Now he could distinctly describe why the back of his tongue tingled in an unfamiliar way, the taste of you still lingered on his tongue. Your worried expression, your gaze lingering away from him like you wanted to run away.

It was all too much for him to handle, the idea that he wanted to confess and let you decide truly for yourself what you wanted... that all went out the window as anger filled his heart. Of course his drunken mind couldn't handle being alone with you, especially after everything that he had seen happen between you and Adam.

Yet his anger wasn't pointed toward you, it wasn't even toward the golden man stumbling over his words, it was at himself. Rocket messed up, he hurt you unintentionally. Your eyes spoke more to him than ever before and it stung, you looked to him like everyone else and it wasn't with that familiar wonder and care anymore. It was his fault he pushed to far with his drunken confession, he ruined it and that made him rage internally at his stupidity.

That day ended in a blur, he was blinded by the empty space in his chest. Pushing away the only piece of himself that kept him from falling off the edge, and now the only solution he could find to keep you happy was to keep his distance.

Rocket knew that his drunken confession scared you, and a sober one would've certainly been the undoing of everything he fought so hard to maintain between you and him. And now he sat in his office sinking into self pity, not even alcohol could cure because now there really wasn't anything between you besides more space.

His mind kept glossing over every word he spoke, every action, every touch, and more specifically that kiss. Rocket could feel his tail twitch and his ears slick back against his head, it was annoying how his heart skipped a beat no matter how disgusted with himself he felt. It wasn't consensual, it was invading, forced. He never wanted it to be that way, he wanted to confess and leave it with only words to ponder on, not actions.

Rocket was no better than a man and it sickened him.

"Captain?" The voice shook him from his mind, a familiar lump formed in the back of his throat knowing who exactly had just knocked on his door.

Rocket sat idly, not making a sound. He thought maybe they would leave if there was no response, but it seems like nothing had been going his way lately.

"I need to speak with you about something important." That voice was like calk on a white board, and Rocket's patience was wearing thin, his tail puffed out in annoyance.

"Captain?" The voice called once again.

Rocket sighed dramatically, deciding against just ignore the voice behind the door. Finally standing up from his seat and walking toward his locked office door reluctantly, his paw slamming the door open.

"Can't I get a moment of peace. What do ya want blondie?!" His voice was filled with venom, his ear twitching in annoyance as he crossed his arm to look up at the golden man in front of him.

Adam had a grim look, like he wasn't pleased to be there either.

"You have been spending more time in your office for the last month, and each time I try to have an audience with you it appears you're out; or you send me on a last minute mission." Adam's fists flexed at his sides, the bronze of his knuckles apparent as he held the hard stare Rocket was giving him. "My patience can no longer be satiated with your excuses and I refuse to be ignored further... Captain."

The hiss at the end of his sentence didn't go unnoticed, it was most definitely anger. It was surprising for it to be so, he remembered how much rage the sovereign had before. His chest once tightened thinking about it, but those thoughts had long been forgotten since he paired you and Adam together.

Rocket hummed, looking behind Adam then back up to the golden eyes that were trying desperately to be threatening. He could still feel that gnawing sensation, yet your scent wasn't on him like it once was. In a sickening way it made him happy.

"What's so important to you that ya wanna keep buggin' me every day?" His lips twitched in a smirk, leaning slyly against the frame of his door. His eyes locked onto the golden ones above him, and for a moment he could see a flash of something familiar, he just couldn't find the name.

Rocket waited for a response but none came, the golden man's lips moved like a fish out of water, and the raccoon was already becoming more impatient with each second it took for Adam to speak. "Spit it out already!"

Finally the sovereign spoke, but it left Rocket's fur rising in fear.

"...It's about (y/n)..." Adam's shoulders seemed to tense at your name, there was an edge to it, like it was forbidden to even mention you.

The sound of your name on the sovereigns tongue made a sickening sensation crawl up his spine. His mind raced with possible questions, responses but nothing prepared him for what Adam asked.

"Why did you make her suffer for months, even going as far as stripping her off her rank, just to get close to me?" His voice was desperate, like this could possibly be the undoing of something inside of him.

Rocket could feel dread beginning to settle in his stomach, that lump in his throat nearly made him gag. This wasn't supposed to be happening, Adam wasn't supposed to be here and you weren't supposed to be out of his reach Yet, he was the sole cause of it.

He could remember the day it happened, all of that anger and hatred you held toward someone who could have easily taken his life away, that worry you'd never see him again... Rocket should have been flattered, but that day he just couldn't deal with the fear that you would grow a sense and abandon him and in a selfish attempt to keep you from leaving he manipulated your anger for Adam into keeping you at his side.

Now, all he could think to do was use the same manipulative tactics to get out of it.

"No way is the 'perfect' human this dull? Were the bruises and blood not enough of a clue that she didn't like ya?" Rocket's lips formed in a snarky smirk, playing on the Sovereign's insecurities.

"She not only put herself in danger, but she put everyone else at risk because someone couldn't shut up about being superior! And as the Captain, I gave her a simple choice." Rocket felt his ears fall back against his head, his expression shifting to a snarl.

The jealousy and anger clouded his thoughts. He wasn't thinking straight his selfishness getting the best of him and the words slipped out faster than his brain could catch. "You should be grateful considering what ya got outta it."

Those words dug deep into Rocket's heart, but he could see that his words of manipulation struck a nerve in the sovereign as he watched Adam step back, his golden hands still sat as his side as he stared down at him in disbelief.

"What could I have possibly gained!?" Adam's response was genuine, and that angered Rocket even more.

Your sweet smile and gentle eyes flashed in Rocket's mind, the way you looked at him was always different. It was the look of someone who didn't judge him for simply being him, and in that moment Rocket's response to Adam would've been, 'Everything.' Because that's what you made him feel like, like he was all that mattered but that fell to the back of his mind as he felt that familiar pang in his chest knowing it meant nothing now.

"Don't act like I don't see the way ya ogle, those lingering touches, and that dance you shared in the canteen." Rocket felt his voice falter, the way the bronze color flushed the golden man's cheeks was enough to keep that jealousy burning. "And don't get me started on that confession you tried to make on the loading bay, that was the real kicker!"

Adam flinched back when Rocket shoved his paws into his stomach, attempting to push him back. Rocket could see the adrenaline kick in as Adam fumbled over his words, his eyes widening in both fear and what seemed to be worry.

"How did-Why are-Are you scared I will hurt her?!" Adam let himself be pushed further by Rocket, feeling his claws nearly dig through the fabric of his suit. "I know you are like family and care for her wellbeing, but I assure you I would never-"

Rocket could feel himself fall apart, Adam's words digging deep even if he continued to speak, he was more focused on the questions plaguing his mind.

Is that what you thought too, that he was just simply a protector and that it was nothing more? Was he just like Thor to you, a brother, someone who didn't deserve to be nothing more? Would anything change if he acted on impulse like he usually did?

His head hurt from holding back tears, holding back all these emotions and questions that never seemed to leave. It hurt knowing this wouldn't have happened if he had just kept his mouth shut but even now, he couldn't seem to shut up.

"I'm in love her!" At his own confession Rocket stopped in his tracks, his palms clenching into fist as he looked away from Adam, his clenched paws still pressed against his stomach as he felt the first tear slip.

All of the paths that could've been changed or simply ignored if Rocket hadn't fallen so in love, if he hadn't become so dependent on you. It hurt knowing it would always lead to nothing, no harbored feelings coming to light, no fantasy where you fall into his arms, no magical wish to make this ache go away. You didn't love him, and that hurt more.

The more he thought about it, the more he realized just how sick and twisted it had all become. His want to keep you at his side, his insecurities, his clouded judgment... he was no better than the hands that created him.

~ Adam ~

He could remember meeting you it like it was yesterday.

His first impression of you was weak, feeble, the exact opposite of what he was meant to be. The embodiment of you, but better, prefect; Yet, as he looked into your eyes, your body trembling within his hold as his grip was against your throat, you looked magnificent. It was sick, disgusting with such a violent action making his chest swell with an unfamiliar feeling. You were imperfectly perfect.

The next time he saw you, you were just as breath taking even if you pointed that inferior weapon at him. You were everything and nothing at the same time, it was confusing, mind boggling. He didn't know what to do, what to say, so, he ignored the feeling and brushed past you. If he spent any longer look at you, he knew this feeling would grow further, and his mission would be compromised. He needed to do this, not for himself but for his mother, she needed him.

When he awoke, his anger, his rage was nothing more than a dull ache within his chest. It hurt more than being stabbed, it hurt more than every violent action done to him. His mother was gone, his only means of existing completely shattered, and the anger within your eyes ached just as badly. He couldn't find himself to care, still fighting against the weird feeling occupying next to the sadness as you stormed off.

Then he watched you dance. The sight completely making him breathless, like his whole body was burning from the inside out. Your movements were smooth, calculated, sensual. It had his body temperature rising. He didn't know the words, the feelings, the needs. The only thing was his heart hammering in his chest when your eyes locked in a moment, your smile still present as you looked to him before turning your attention to the others around you.

He watched you cry, the sight nearly making him break. He wouldn't have helped if it wasn't for the ache in his chest or the knot forming in his stomach from the sight. Then your smile, it was the most beautiful thing he had seen since he emerged, the tears were still falling from your face but the expression you wore told him it wasn't like the tears shed before.

You were extradentary in every aspect of the word.

It didn't take long for everyone to welcome him in; it felt like a second home. Not one person neglected his questions and his inability to understand certain terms or actions. It was nice to be pulled into a family, a real family that was far different from the Sovereign.

So, Adam spent most days admiring the little things completely in awe at the interactions, the bonds that formed this community. His disgust for weaker life forms fizzled out into more of admiration in how every single being had faults and still somehow had more strengths. It made him envious that they could grow and adapt.

When Adam was awoken, it was as if someone flipped a switch. One second, he didn't exist and the next he already knew what was expected of him. He had no beginning and no end.

The only thing he felt was anger, the thirst for vengeance was overwhelming not even his mother's soft words could break him free from its shackles. He wanted nothing more than to make his mom proud, to keep the promise of his existence, to make sure no one betrayed the Sovereign again.

Was he even worthy of existing now that he failed?

Adam pondered that question constantly. He can still feel the warmth upon his cheek as his mother welcomed him to the universe, the ghost of her kiss placed against his forehead as she smiled up at him. He could see her face contort from pleasant to sour, like she had her own inner battles that couldn't be explained in words.

Now, she was gone.

He remembered looking out into the far distance of space pondering if he should leave or stay because he couldn't shake the empty void within his chest where his failures dwelled. However, as time passed upon this floating head of a god, there sat a sweet serenity that he finally started to accept; to let it blossom.

He had you to thank for that, you made it easy to decide whether he wanted to leave or stay.

As he spent more than a few months in Nowhere, he realized that he had his own faults, not many but very few. His violent tendencies were done on accident, his strength being something he had a hard time controlling. He could've lived with it had it not been for Rocket asking him to join the Guardians, that was when he really needed to find some sort of control over his outbursts.

During those days Drax and you helped, sometimes Nebula if she wasn't too busy. He remembered a day in particular, a day that he could physically feel within every fiber of his body. It was just when he started training, just before any sort of emotion or thought was actually explained.

You were stood on the sidelines, watching Adam and Drax spar. He could see you at the corner of his eyes, you never actually sparred before mostly just you giving pointers to him about his stance and mistakes. Most of the time he couldn't focus, completely engulfed in your beauty.

He couldn't remember what had exactly been said, just that you were now in front of him with a piercing glare and raised fists. It was hard to control how much he held back; your swift movements and hard punches were distracting him. You could definitely take a hit, a beating. He could feel his words fall from his lips without any censor or warning. Only then did he really see why exactly Drax was always trying to one up you, he was on his ass within a second.

The sight of your sweaty body and bloodied lip above him made his stomach drop, the quick movements of your fist digging into his cheek filled him with a strange feeling. It wasn't exactly annoyance or anger; it felt different in a way that made his heart clench within his chest. His body moved on its own, his hand finding its way to your throat and pinning you beneath him in one quick calculated moment.

It reminded him of the first time you met. He could feel the way your heart sped up underneath his fingers, his grip tightening against your throat. Your life was in his hands; it excited him in the sickest way possible. But as he pondered on that memory longer, the more he realized he felt a sinking feeling in his chest, like when Blurp would get hurt if he played to rough or when he would hear the faint voices behind his back. The pain without any physical harm wasn't new but still confusing.

You took the chance of his loosened grip to use all your strength in your arms, pushing roughly up against his hand. He slipped forward not being able to catch himself before your foreheads collided roughly, the force of your head but sent him stumbling off of you. The pain evident in both of you as your hands rushed to cup your foreheads. Adam had the golden liquid dripping down his forehead while the bitter red dribbled down your nose and temple.

You were still seething, already pushing the pain away to hop at the opportunity to strike Adam again. If it wasn't for Drax's arms wrapping around your torso you would've shredded the Sovereign.

Adam could see the anger, the rage. He wasn't sure if it was because he had hurt you or if it was something more, but the venom spewed from your words as you pried at Drax's grip to jump for him again. He didn't know what exactly he felt in that moment but the sight of your bloodied face and enraged expression had his heart hammering against his chest and his body melting all over again.

Adam wasn't sure what he was, sick, or twisted, all he knew was that you were more than perfect and the way you loathed him was a kickstart to feed his delusions once more.

If it wasn't for Rocket deciding to give Adam a job, it might have fell apart considering how your last interaction had been. The job was supposed to be easy, a way to learn what it meant to keep Knowhere a home, at least that what Rocket said. However, Rocket couldn't possibly know how hard it would be to be at your side.

"(Y/n) will show you around when you're not on missions," Rocket's voice cut through the silence of his office, the shuffle of items on his desk as he avoided the confused look upon Adam's face.

He could feel nervousness bubbling up in his chest, the thought that he would be spending time with you was enough to make his entire body buzz with anticipation.

Adam wasn't very in tune with his emotions, and the very few explanations that others gave him made it easier to maneuver but he still couldn't place what exactly he felt when you were mentioned, or when you would be nearby.

Rocket could see his jaw tighten, his hands gently running along the blue uniform to smooth it out. It was a habit that he did when his emotions were running wild, a dead giveaway on what he was feeling. Rocket couldn't care less; he wasn't new to the way Adam would look at you or the way his entire body would straighten up, and his words would ring in confidence. Rocket wasn't worried, you couldn't possibly recuperate what Adam felt. Adam didn't even know what he felt, it was hilarious to him that Adam knew so little yet held the most power compared to everyone else.

"The hours start fairly early, so, she will come grab you. Any questions?" Rocket leaned back slightly, watching Adam grip and ungrasp his hands before shaking his head. "No Captain, I'm sure I can manage."

Adam made his way back to his little apartment, his door swinging open as Blurp sat beside the door the little f'saki immediately nudged against his legs. He leaned down to run his hand against his companion, nudged him slightly toward the kitchenette to put food within his bowl. The anticipation of what tomorrow will bring was making his mind fuzzy.

You were different, in the best and worst ways possible

But he wasn't stupid no matter how it seemed because the one thing he was certain of was that you didn't like him. It was his fault for expecting you to accept him, since everyone else already had. Maybe that was why he had always felt curious about you, even if he had done it in an unhealthy manor.

You were a human, the thing he was supposed to be better than but as time passed, he realized you weren't so different, that year of learning to be just that... human, it was refreshing and a little existential to know he even had flaws while at your side. He realized now that your strengths and imperfections were what made you, you.

The pull of you sitting beside him made his heart thrum in his chest. He felt it when he first met you, even if he was convinced something was wrong with him; he felt it when his hands were wrapped around your throat feeling the rapid beat of your heart beneath his fingers; he could feel it when you threatened him, your words vibrating his entire being, and when you nearly jumped him at his weakest, the anger in your expression was something that made his own heart begin to soar.

You stood beside him, looking out into the twinkling stars, missing your time on earth and the people you had left behind. The years had gone by; you didn't know if they were even alive. You questioned if you would go back if given the chance, but at the same time you didn't know what would await you there.

Adam kept his eyes on the passing stars; the few planets sang to him within his soul the world's full of so much life that it made him dizzy from everyone speaking to him all together. He shut them out at the sound of your own burning soul firmly beside him, no words or noises came from you but deep within you he could feel that tug against his chest again. He wanted to tell you, to give you something that would indicate just how he felt even if he had no idea what he felt.

His words were too quick to catch from his mind to his lips; he didn't know where to start but he knew that his very soul would carry him further than his racing mind ever could. Then he was interrupted before he could even get out what he wanted to say, by the very being that he had once tried to capture, and he felt the guilt build all over again.

When he looked into the blue eyes of your adopted child, he could see the crinkle of her nose as she looked at the small, flowered dessert within his palms. The man he spoke to had picked it specifically for him, a simple primrose. Adam had never seen such a beautiful flower, much less something that was from your home planet, Terra.

It made his soul dull, knowing he may know you now, but he knew close to nothing about what truly brought you away from there. Thor even had a hard time talking about it, outside of a hum of acknowledgment when Nebula mentioned it.

Thor had started to grow on him, at first, he was a bit too touchy, to laid back for someone whose soul was so casted in a sadness that he couldn't tell if he had another motive. Then, you changed that. He could feel the shift in his chest; the weight being lifted like everything was going to be okay. It didn't go unnoticed that the history you shared ran deep, deeper than even the others here in Nowhere. It still made him jealous, but it wasn't the same as before, just a deep yearning to understand.

Lyra, however, talked on and on about the stories you told her, some going far before he had even been thought of. And in those stories, he felt a sinking feeling in his gut, he had love for you without even knowing little to nothing about you. Adam knew only what had been given to him through others, even Drax had shared stories of the times you were first introduced.

He felt inferior to others around him, did he deserve to love such a beautiful being if he had no idea what you had gone through in your life?

He spent his, wanting nothing more than the spill of blood, and now the hands that once wronged you were now gently cradling your adoptive daughter. Her sleepy eyes keeping his heart from soaring at the sight of the ship coming into view, the tug in his very being began to intensify as he got closer to where you resided.

He wanted to approach, to give and say what exactly was on his mind, but he didn't even know how to express into words with what exactly he wanted or needed. Adam spent most of his time conversing with Drax, about nothing in particular until you left. His feet nearly gave way wanting to go after you, to stand at your side just so this ache in his chest would ease.

"She hates you, so why do you try?" Drax's booming voice made his ears ring, and his heart nearly leap from his chest.

Adam understood what he meant, he wasn't stupid at least not anymore. He knew you weren't fond of him, still holding onto grudges from his past mistakes but you still kept him at your side even if it was at a distance.

Drax had no idea what you were like when it was just the three of you, all together. He sees the shift, the way your eyes soften and your voice goes quiet. Your actions speaking louder than your words every time, even if it meant that when he stepped away into the outside world you would continue to mask what he really meant to you.

"I have seen parts of (y/n) that no one truly sees, parts that are hidden from view that no one even considers. You may think she hates me, and you are not wrong to some degree but to truly see how she feels you do not simply listen to her words." Adam could feel his chest tighten again at the sudden pull, even talking about you makes him want to follow but he held himself in place.

"She hides, and I will spend every moment looking for her behind those guarded walls." His voice was softer now, imagining the gently touch of your hands against his cheek just like you had done once before.

"That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. You continue to say words instead of acting on it, it's pathetic." Drax's words would have hurt if it wasn't for the fact he didn't mean it in a bad way, he was being blunt which Adam appreciated even if it did smack him mentally.

"I understand, but I have never been intimate nor in love. I do love Blurp and Lyra but the way I love (y/n) is different, new. I don't understand how to go about such a huge change in companionship." Adam could feel his cheeks burn, his heart clenching in his chest finally admitting his worries.

Drax scoffed, turning toward Adam fully now. "She is different, words mean nothing only your actions can fully tell her what you want. Kiss her."

Drax had said it so simply, so matter of factly that Adam nearly believed it. He had some sense to ignore it, but that night still played in his head. Then it really dawned on him at what Drax was telling him to do.

"I couldn't possibly!" Adam's hand flew to his mouth, his face a darker shade of gold.

Drax couldn't help but smile large, then he finally let out a belly laugh, his entire body shaking as Adam was completely at a loss for words.

Only then did Adam know that this was Drax's way of telling a joke, but his next words weren't so funny. "She would—She would kill you."

He could feel his chest tighten at that fact; you most certainly would.

It had only been a few hours since that interaction, and as time went on, he could feel a strange, unsettling problem brewing. His chest felt heavy, like he couldn't breathe, his mind was spinning in the worst ways, and he couldn't for the life of him feel your presence on the planet like before.

Adam found himself wandering aimlessly around the village, at first, it was to help Drax with the kids then it turned into anxious pacing.

It was like before, the ability to sense the inner turmoil of a person, their soul speaking to him in hushed whispers. He felt it in Rocket, Thor, anyone he came in contact with but yours, yours spoke to him in an unfamiliar way that had him questioning what exactly you were expressing. Then he felt it, that problem that had been brewing since you got to this planet. It came straight for him like a meteor, and his heart shattered knowing now who he thought was the cause of it.

Adam could feel the wind being knocked from his lungs. The small girl clung onto him like he was a lifeline, like if she were to let go, he would disappear. He wanted to ask her what was wrong, what had made her cry, but he couldn't get a word in before she was sobbing uncontrollably into his abdomen.

In one swift motion Lyra was lifted into his arms, his hand cradling her head into his chest while she continued to sob. She never once let go of his shirt as she broke within his hold. He tried to hush her, saying sweet things to calm her down but the more he talked the harder her cries seemed to increase.

After a few minutes of silence her cries finally died down, it was just enough for her to finally form a coherent sentence. "Mom, she's been so hooked on Uncle Thor and Love—like I don't exist. It hurt; it hurts so much right here."

Lyra placed a hand against her chest, her native language slipping through at the end of her sentence. Adam could feel the ache in her heart, the anger, the betrayal. He could feel the resemblance of your own that was somewhere in the distance, yet Lyra's was less strong compared to your own.

His voice was soft as he spoke, "I can understand the pain you're feeling, I also feel that small bit of jealousy, but you must understand, Lyra, your mother has not seen Thor in many years. They connected way before you and I, even before Love had been alongside Thor-"

Even at Adam's calm explanation Lyra had bawled her fists tighter in his clothing, her tears still spilling out from her red and tired eyes.

"No! She just doesn't care! Why can't she just see that I- that we-" Lyra nearly choked on the hiccup that left her throat as she broke into another fit of cries.

Adam gave a weak smile, tightening his hold around her just a little. "My First Star, it is okay to be upset but you must realize, your mother had a life before us on another planet, and just like us, this is also new to her. I'm sure she didn't mean to hurt you; it is hard for her to know what you're feeling if you do not tell her."

At those last few words Adam realized that he too wasn't communicating, all the feelings he had were growing the longer he stayed at your side. It wasn't something he wanted to ignore anymore, not only could he feel it in his soul he could feel it in yours.

Your soul sang a tune that he could hear fall in sync with his, it was a symphony of raging emotions and a need for promise but the small blockage in your heart stops him from pushing further. He knew you felt what he did, that night was more confirmation that he needed.

"She loves you Star, and I'm more than sure she is searching for you right now. Why don't we-" Adam felt Lyra stiffen, shaking her head quickly into response to his words.

"I-I don't want to go back... not yet." Adam could see the puppy eyes she gave him, and he felt his heart swell from how easily she was able to persuade him. It reminded him of Blurp and the way he would beg to be given another treat.

Adam smiled softly, "Alright. How about we just go sit by the Oceanside, look for some pretty shells?"

Lyra nodded, shifting her weight enough to be set gently on her feet to walk beside Adam.

They had done what he suggested, although she wasn't in the mood to really play. Instead, he offered for them to sit, just to enjoy the beauty of a place they hadn't experienced before. The silence was comforting, delicate in a way a father would describe it. It was strange, did Lyra view him as a father figure too?

"Are you really going to do what uncle Drax said?" Her voice was above a whisper, like she felt ashamed for having heard the conversation between the two.

Adam could feel his shoulders tense, his hands coming up to his collar then to his sleeves to straighten them out. His throat felt tight, embarrassment lying in his throat as he cleared it.

"It's not nice to eavesdrop," Adam could feel a playful smile form on his lips even if he felt uneasy from the question.

"I'm sorry... if it makes it any better, I thought it was a good idea." Lyra began to kick the sand at her feet, making small hills and dips.

Adam chuckled, shaking his head. "Oh, my first star. Drax does not understand that sometimes being straight forward isn't always the answer."

"How so?" Lyra titled her head up to him, genuine confusion on her face.

"Circumstances. But I don't think that's anything for you to worry about." Adam ruffled her hair, and she nodded still deep in thought.

The moment didn't last long as rushed footsteps in the sand came from behind them, Adam could feel adrenaline kick in as he felt the air beside him move. Lyra had been scooped up by none other than you.

He didn't know where it began or where it would end, but he could feel a rough tug in his chest. The pull nearly making him fall over in the process, his heart being caught in his throat as words slipped out without him even realizing. He was on autopilot watching your lips move and your eyes water, your brows scrunched in worry. Your skin glistened in the moonlight, the sand littering across your skin from the day spent around town. He could smell the smoke from your hair and clothes; it mixed well with the salt and maple.

You were breath taking, as always. The shift of your feet was a sign you were becoming impatient as Lyra was wrapped around his torso, her expression from earlier was clear and he could taste the salt on his tongue from wanting to vomit out of nervousness.

He watched her little form disappear into the town; your eyes were felt lingering on him. His heart beat increased, that familiar tug set his whole body aflame. You were going to leave he could feel it and he could see it, your eyes drifting away, the flicker of disappointment was heard from inside. This time it pulled harder, that sickening need he's been feeling since last night.

You were wrapped in his arms without a second thought, your words went unheard as he took in the scent of you. It made his nose tingle in the best ways, the alcohol gone from your breath and a much sweeter vanilla laid beneath.

Adam wasn't in control of his body; it's like it moved on its own accord. All he could see was you, nothing else seemed to matter. The flame burned across his body as he felt your eyes fall to his lips; his mouth being engulfed in the taste of you on his tongue. The faint hint of butter occupied by vanilla, it was sweet and comforting in the best ways. It burned him alive watching you lick the crumbs from your lips; it made him crave it more than he already did.

Your drunken confession still rang in his ears as he looked into your beautiful eyes. Drax's words lingered in the back of his mind, 'Kiss her.'

But the night prior showed him that he couldn't, not when you had done it so easily.

That night he only wanted only to help, to spend even a few minutes with you but what he didn't expect was how much you had actually drank. You were barely holding onto him; the small bottles of mead littered behind you as you seemed to pull them out from thin air.

By the time he had made it to your apartment, you stumbling through the door with you glued to his side. It wasn't the first time he had been here, all of those movies, and game nights with Lyra had made him familiar with where everything was.

A glass of water and a simple snack was prepared in a moment as the water ran from your bathroom, you were singing, babbling about nothing in particular. When you were freshened up and sitting beside him on your couch, your head laid gently against his shoulder.

That was when it broke. That wall you had put between him and yourself, the rush of emotions made him dizzy. Your soul finally pulling him in.

You put your heart and soul into telling him how scared you were. How you were frightened to let go of the one place you called home, Terra. All of those memories, good and bad were all you had left of the ones lost. It went on for only a few minutes before you asked to be put into bed, your body completely limp against his side as he hooked his arms beneath your legs and lifted you in his arms, your head resting against his shoulder.

He could feel you tug against his shirt collar, the alcohol on your breath mingling with his own. You were deathly close, your lips nearly touching as your half-lidded eyes were begging for something he had no knowledge of. Then he heard it, felt that familiar sadness burns right through his entire soul. You were telling him silently and soulfully what exactly frightened you in the moment, a name lingering on your lips as you leaned back against your plush pillows pulling him right into bed with you.

The air caught in his throat, his lungs burning as his hands were held above you, your slightly smaller form laid beneath him as your head was sat comfortably against the side of his forearm. He could feel your fingers run circles against the fabric of his shirt, your touch hot against his chest. Your words were slurred together, the small bottle of ale you had stolen from Thor sat between your lips. The scent of citrus filled his sense's as you leaned up toward him, your breath fanned across his face as your voice was just above a whisper.

"Even like this... you're perfect." His heart leapt from his chest, hearing you say it made more of a difference than the insults once thrown at him. Your smile was delicate, your eyes glossing over in a familiar way. The soft twinkle proving to him that you meant it, and the tears forming was more of an indication on what your drunken mind was saying.

Adam let himself go, falling beside you as his arms draped around you in a loving embrace. His cheeks burned as he pulled you into his chest, his mind racing with the want to give you a simple gesture he had seen on the movies you would watch but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

'Not like this,' he thought. The delicate kiss he wanted to place on your head felt far too intimate, like it was the most heinous act imaginable.

You were softly crying into his chest, your grip tight around him. It was like if you let go, he would disappear, and he had no intention of leaving. The whispers of your voice chanting the woes of your heart, lulled him into rocking you back and forth trying to soothe your worries.

"I thought I loved him but..." Adam felt your soul surge with nostalgia, that familiar name falling from your tongue as you pulled away to wipe your tears. "...you make it so easy to forget..."

He felt the world fall into place as your body moved slowly up toward him, your lips pressing gently against his cheek and for a moment his brain stopped working. That familiar ache in his chest finally blossomed into something more, it was like his eyes had finally opened. That simple worry of kissing your forehead fell to the back of his mind as your lips peppered to his nose. Your breath hitched, finally looking into his eyes and he could see that ache consuming you too.

"I like you more than I should, but I don't want to hurt you." Your voice broke as Adam smiled knowingly, reassuringly, he had never felt so happy to know that you felt it too just like he thought.

"Stardust... there is nothing you can do to hurt me." He could feel his mouth dry up as the confession dropped from his thoughts, "I deeply admire you, more than you know."

Your expression shifted, your body falling against his. Your hand hooked behind his neck, and your breath burned against his lips as you let all of your unspoken emotions go. The world dulled down to his heart beating rapidly beneath his chest, your eyes closed softly above him as your lips pressed gently, yearningly against his. Your body was burning right through him, and he did nothing to stop it, he didn't even have a sense to recuperate the gesture only putting his hand against your cheek to gently hold you in place.

Is this what lovers do? He could get used to this burning feeling in his stomach; it was addicting.

Adam let his confession slip from his lips; the reality began to set back in as he cupped your cheek within his palm. He could feel the way you wanted to recuperate it; to say the things you had the night prior, but it all seemed to fall apart as an unfamiliar flame slammed against his spirits pushing him away.

It was furious, angry, sad. It was like nothing he had ever felt from you, and it honestly frightened him a little. Your expression was quick to change, your words slipping out faster than his brain could keep up with. Then it dawned on him, that his mission wasn't to help Knowhere it was to be at your side until you stopped lashing out like a pet being trained. It was all of Rocket's idea and everything that had made up your relationship was built on a lie.

All of the late nights, the exchange of glances and simple words were all in his head. That night meant something to him, but you couldn't possibly have meant or remembered it, he knew that now. The alcohol clouded your vision and made you do things that you wouldn't have done, and it hurt knowing that he unknowingly took advantage of that.

The space in his heart where you once resided still ached, the entirely of your relationship built on a lie that Rocket had given him. He thought if he had confronted him, then maybe he would know why you were so sad, so angry. Then maybe he would truly know what exactly went wrong, and why that day you pushed as hard as you did.

Adam didn't expect it to go wrong once again... all he wanted was an answer, something or someone to blame but it seemed more than one person has been affected by his very existence.

"I love her... I thought if I just... I regret that day. I regret telling her to forgive you for everything you did, to stop pondering on the past..." Rocket let himself pull away, sinking slowly as he looked down at his paws.

It hurt to admit it out loud to the one that was the cause of all this, and it made his throat clenching with that familiar sting in his eyes. "...I hate you, and I hate myself for just pushing her right into your arms."

Adam was frozen in place, that familiar flame in Rocket's soul evened out into something he had felt many times before. His clenched hands fell at his sides as he watched his Captain unravel before him, the words stung because he had heard them once before.

I hate you...

That still stung in his heart, his chest tightening at the confession from Rocket. Everything finally fell into place, your words still ringing in his ears on that day. It all seemed to make sense, in a twisted way that had him realizing you and Rocket weren't so different.

"I... I didn't know." Adam felt his eyes burn, that familiar look on your face was now on Rocket's. He didn't shed any tears, but he could see him break. It was like an echo, and somehow, he was always at the receiving end.

"Yeah. I hid it for so long..." Rocket felt a laugh bubble up, the lump in his throat making it break. "Even when I was on the verge of death by your hands I couldn't confess... how horrible is that."

Adam watched as Rocket closed his eyes, his breathing becoming uneven as he clenched and unclenched his fists. "I was so selfish, delusional in thinking that she couldn't possibly fall in love with any one after Steve."

Adam felt his back straighten, that name felt like a punch to the gut. It was familiar, like a dream, a whisper he had heard before. "Steve..."

"Of course she wouldn't tell you. It's a touchy subject-" Rocket's chuckle fell into step with the rapid clatter of footsteps rushing down the hallway, a familiar ding ringing from his data pad in his office almost as rapidly as the footsteps coming closer.

Both men looked at the rapid steps behind them, a familiar figure following in step with another. Their expressions were on the verge of breaking into a full panic, it was serious. And Rocket thought he could prepare himself for Kraglin to say they failed or that the ship needed repairs, but his entire body of fur stood on end at Nebula's explanation of the situation at hand.

Adam could feel his heart rapidly beat against his ears as your name echoed in his mind, his body moving on instinct before anyone could utter another word. His body igniting in flames as his soul reached into the void of space, reaching into the distance of far-off planets and galaxies until he felt a familiar tug against his chest. Only then did he finally let all of the weight fall from his body, it didn't matter what happened in the past all that mattered was getting you back safely.

If you're reading this then... the description is clickbait cuz it doesn't happen till way later in this short ahh story I'm writing.

Follows the MCU timeline so keep up!

However I’d like to inform you that this is very much simplified and is based around vol.3 of Guardians of The Galaxy as well as Endgame, a small brief moment of Love and Thunder and the Holiday Special.

Enjoy and pls don't come for me, I'm just having fun and simping for this golden mf :)

Time had passed by way faster than you'd hoped, not only is Knowhere flourishing but your relationship with the Guardians was stronger than ever.

You spent most days helping Nebula fix very minimal things. It's funny how when everything seemed beyond perfect, it went out the door with minor problems popping up, from plumbing, chipped paint, broken railing, broken windows, to fixing something as simple as a sign.

It wasn't too much work for you, easily lifting the sign up onto its hooks while Nebula critiqued small things you did.  You ignored it for the most part, as Groot helped you reposition it once again for Nebula. She mentioned how it looked just as horrible as it did the first time. It didn't take long for you both to begin an argument.

You stepped down from the ladder as her booming voice told you to get back up there and fix it.

"If it's such a big deal then why don't you fix it? You, blue rust bucket." at the mention of the name calling she walked toward you, pointing an accusing finger at you.

"Say that again and see what happens Terran." Her breath fanned against your face while she puffed out her chest to bump into your own.

You knew you really pissed her off if she didn't say your name.

With a huff of your own you backed off, letting her win the argument knowing it was pointless if you were both going to completely forget this little argument in an hour.

"Sorry Nebula, but could you maybe just ignore small imperfections. I mean come on look at this sign, so what if it's hanging a little lopsided no one would even notice if you hadn't mentioned it!" Your last few words hissed out in annoyance and anger.

You knew Nebula rolled her eyes but there was a small twitch at the corner of her lip, you knew she just liked to piss you off as much as you did her. "Whatever, idiot. I'll fix it later."

You hummed softly at her words glancing to Groot who smiled softly between you two, he knew just as much as you that she wouldn't be fixing it. She had too much on her plate to worry about a sign, just as much as other things she needed perfect around Nowhere. It wasn't perfecting she sought after it was the enjoyment of arguing with someone who could match her temper.

You followed beside her as she walked toward the canteen, there wasn't much thought or conversation, you both just enjoyed the silence, the earlier argument already forgotten.

Once you both got closer to the canteen the angry words from Quill rang through the building, something about Rocket touching his Zune. Once you both rounded the corner and peered through the glass window, it didn't take long to notice just how much he had drank, a sigh already leaving both your lips in unison as he fell onto the floor.

This was becoming the norm. Usually, you'd drink with him but as the days went on you didn't want alcohol to screw with your mind when work needed to be done, and another thing was Gamora and Steve being your most talked about topic while under the influence. You cried to many tears and wasted most of your down time at the bottom of a bottle, but those times were like a distant memory. Unlike Quill, you couldn't keep rotting your liver just to forget someone dear to you.

You and Nebula looked at one another, the silent question arising between you.

"I took him home yesterday, I ain't doing it again." You didn't wait for her to argue back, already beginning your walk down the street.

You could hear her quick quip of annoyance from behind you, choosing to ignore it as you continued down the path toward one of the few market stalls, deciding to take a look at what the last planet you visited had to offer. You found some jewelry as well as a few varieties of fruit and unique looking food, nothing really caught your eye only listening to the quiet hum of music and chatter. You didn't realize how much time had passed before your thoughts felt a little to fuzzy, the heavy weight against your shoulder becoming too hard to bear.

You decided to head back to your apartment before you fell asleep sitting on the canteens stool, not wanting to embarrass yourself further. As you took your leave, you bumped into the group of Guardians their voices mingling together while they talked about Quill, the echoes of their voices as they walked into the canteen once again. The voice of Drax was more prominent than the others. "Maybe we should draw straws."

You hummed, wondering what on earth they'd need to draw straws for, but you ignored it only smiling at them as you walked past. Drax asked you to join them, but Nebula and Rocket could see the way your movements were sluggish, and the way you lacked focus on their words. Rocket waved you away before you gave into the pleas of Mantis and Cosmo.

When you opened the door to your apartment the aches and pains of the work you had done today was weighing heavily on your back and shoulders, the thought of a hot shower excited you. You quickly went with the idea in your head before the laziness set in.

It didn't take long for you fall asleep, which felt like only a few minutes before you awoke to loud crashing from outside. The sounds of glass and rubble made your ears ring as you ran out into the night, the cold air of Nowhere hit your body. You tried to focus and listen to sounds and voices around you, you rub away the sleep from your eyes.

There was more screaming and yelling that had you sprinting toward the source. You made it into the square with your chest heaving and your hands on the blaster you held in your hand. The sound of quiet sobs had you slowly look behind the counter of a stall, it was one of the girls who you helped earlier in the day. Once her eyes caught sight of you, she pointed in the direction you needed, like she already knew what you wanted before speaking.

The call from Rocket had you sprinting into a storage building, he was quick to shut it behind you both while he ran to get his own weapon. Matis had beat you to question what exactly was going on.

"Who was that maniac?" Mantis' voice had you turning your head from guarding the entrance wondering what sort of monstrous freak wanted your all dead this time.

"I don't know some kind of super douche with ray gun hands, I don't freakin' know"

The loud crashing from the far-off distance had your grip tightening around your blaster, a sigh leaving you lips as you turned to Rocket and Mantis.

"Where's the rest of the guys, we need to deal with that freak before he tears down more of Nowhere!" Just as those words left your mouth the door swung open, making you jump in place as you turned to see who had entered.

It felt like everything was running in slow motion.

The maniac chasing Rocket down was tall, and golden, he easily towered over you as he walked past; the red cape sitting upon his shoulder and golden blonde hair swayed as his golden eyes scanned the room in front of him. Everything about this man was bathed in gold, he would've been beautiful had he not been the monster that was going to attack you and your friends.

Rocket didn't even have time to get a fire off before he was blown into a stack of boxes. Mantis was quick to lunge at the towering figure, with the intent of using her powers, however he had caught and broken her wrist with little to no effort.

Her cries snapped you back into reality, blasting the guy in the face. His attention turned to you but before he could even take a step more shots were fired from behind him. You already knew it was Quill, and with that you both continuously shot at him, backing him toward the entrance. A familiar bulky figure came up behind him, grabbing him by the back of his suit and lifting him off the ground. "Pick on someone your own size."

That was probably one of the most badass things Drax has ever said and it had relief wash over you. He planted a hard punch against the golden man's face, sending him flying back into the dirt. He laid on the ground for a few seconds in a daze before trying to sit up, and with a few quick steps Drax was already lifting him back up off the ground and throwing him into the sign you and Groot had put up prior.

"Are you okay?" Quill's voice came out a bit shaky, probably from both genuine fear and still being hung over.

You nodded at him but before you could explain the situation the sound of Drax struggling had you turning back toward the scene before you. Quill took a step forward to help Drax but the cry from Mantis had you both stuck in place, it filled you with genuine fear at her wail of pain and fear.

"I'll help Drax, make sure Mantis and Rocket are okay." you motioned back toward the building behind Quill.

He didn't even say a word before scurrying back into the building.

You were about to help Drax when those laser hands Rocket mentioned earlier, were being used against him. The sight had you holding your breath. Drax was struggling to hold them away from himself. Just before you could help, there was a loud ring coming from the golden man's hands, the lasers themselves were powering up as they swirled toward where you stood.

You moved quick to dodge the beams of light, hearing the sizzle as they left indents on the wall you hid behind. The sound of Drax hitting the ground had you moving into action in an instant.

The sight before you had your heart racing, there was an audible crack at each punch the man put into Drax's face. You didn't even care about firing your weapon only running on instinct. You rushed toward the golden man and tackling him off of Drax. There was an audible grunt from the man as you pinned him beneath you. He was quick to try and push you off of him. He thrashed and tried to kick you. You scramble to gain the upper hand and keep his legs beneath your body. You maneuvered your body enough just to straddle his hips and hold his arms against his chest.

He huffed under you as he strained his arms to get out from beneath your grip, you used all of your strength to keep his hands to his chest, using your upper body to keep him pinned down. In one swift movement you used one hand to slip a small blade out from the hidden pocket in your hip. Just before you were able to slam it against his throat, he was able to break free from your hold and fought against your attempt at pushing it down.

You put your full weight into the blade, your faces getting closer you could practically feel his breath against your face as you struggled to keep him down.

There was a quick flash of light, and you flung into a nearby wall. The pedestrians watching gasped and cried while you were gasping for air. Your palm came up to cup your burning side, the pain shooting through your body. The sound of his heavy foots steps approached you had you scurrying to stand. Your labor was for nothing when your body was lifted up off the ground by your throat. His grip was rough, you already knew there would be a mark growing there.

"Let me take the squirrel and I'll spare your life." His grip around your neck softened at his last words.

Even like this you couldn't help but let out a strangled sound of amusement. "You're dumber than you look, if you think I'm falling for that."

His stoic expression darkened at your words; his grip was already starting to tighten again.

The world around you became foggy, black dots clouding your vision. You gulped down your last bit of air, adjusting yourself by using your right hand to grip his wrist while your other hand pushed against his chest, bracing yourself for you next move to break free. Just before you could follow through, the all too familiar sound of fleshing being torn rang in your ears. His golden eyes looked up into your own, his eyebrows furrowing slightly as he looked between your bodies then looking back up into your eyes. His expression went from surprised, to pain then pleading.

"That hurts." His breath fanned across your face at his words, his grip loosening against your throat.

"What a pity." Hearing Nebulas voice had you smiling slightly, even though it hurt to do so.

His grip finally fell from your throat as you fell into the dirt, your hands bracing yourself on impact. You sucked in a gasp of air looking up to see the golden man crumble to his knees before falling face first into the dirt. You could feel the relief wash over you as Nebula helped you back onto your feet.

"I almost had that, you know?" You half-heartedly teased, the fear of near death had you on edge with nowhere to vent it.

"Don't start shit right now, he could've easily killed you!" Nebula immediately let you go as you struggled to regain your footing, the blast on your side stinging in the process.

You were about to argue back when you both heard Mantis scream, neither of you wasting time in running to see what was happening.

Nothing could've prepared you for the sight before you.

Nebula was quick to act, yelling at Quill to take the med pack off. All you could do was watch in horror as Rocket wheezed with every breathe, the wound on his chest making tears brim at the edge of your eyes.

You could feel the anger boil through your entire body. You moved on pure rage, rushing back outside to give that golden piece of shit a slow agonizing death for hurting not only two but three of your friends.

When you stepped back out into the street everyone was crowding around Drax, helping to lift him up but there was no sign of gold besides the puddle that appeared where the man once laid. Groot was clung to your body, only just his head with makeshift legs nudging into your ankle. You felt your heart ache at the destruction of Nowhere and your beat up and tattered friends. You knew then that if you ever saw that man again it would be on sight, no questions and no mercy.

He was going to pay for what he did.

If you're reading this then... the description is clickbait cuz it doesn't happen till way later in this short ahh story I'm writing.

Follows the MCU timeline so keep up!

However I’d like to inform you that this is very much simplified and is based around vol.3 of Guardians of The Galaxy as well as Endgame, a small brief moment of Love and Thunder and the Holiday Special.

Enjoy and pls don't come for me, I'm just having fun and simping for this golden mf :)

All those nights you'd spent drinking, talking and laughing. Not once had Rocket mentioned anything like this, this horrible thing that was done to him.

The sight of the two scientists working on the small raccoon had a pit forming at the bottom of your stomach. His young cries were seared into your head playing on repeat, completely downing out the argument ensuing before you.

Rocket may not have been the best of friend in the beginning, the walls he had up were prominent in the way he treated you and the rest of your team. The remaining Avengers didn't seem to mind, not really caring what the raccoon had to say but you saw straight through his act. He lost his friends, just like the rest of you but he dealt with that grief differently.

He didn't sleep for days on end, the aftermath of the Snap already taking its hold on him and when Nebula showed up with Tony that sadness he kept hidden came out in waves, it was just him and her. They didn't have to stay with you as long as they did, nor did they have to visit but they did.

Nebula was still learning how to do things normally without having to compete for it and Rocket was opening up, especially when alcohol was involved.

It was supposed to be a few drinks, maybe three or four then off to bed before they left back into space the next day. Rocket drank more than his body could handle, his drunken words of praise for you had changed your chemistry entirely.

"Ya know, you're not so bad compared to the rest of these flesh bags."

You laughed at the way he stumbled over himself to place his paw against your shoulder as he poured you another glass of wine. He ranted about how he saw your skillful hands and movements in Wakanda. His canines showing in a smile as he nudged your shoulder once again before spilling some wine against the countertop. It was oddly heartwarming to hear such praise from the raccoon who gave subtle jabs at everyone's mistakes and flaws. But just as you began to familiarize yourself with Rockets praise, he settled back down into the chair next to you, his paws coming up to pour himself another shot of whiskey.

"You and Gamora would've got along well, Quill would probably short circut having you two with us."

His tone was teasing but you could tell by the way his voice cracked at the mention of his fellow Guardians that he was remanising on memories before the Snap. You set a hand gently onto his head, he froze, for a second you thought he'd bite you, but he didn't move only accepting the gentle glide of your fingers behind his ear.

You sat like that for a few minutes just gently petting him before he swatted your hand away, the look in his glossy eyes said enough. You smiled down at him while he gulped down the shot of whiskey before talking about adventures the Guardians had gone on, and how they met.

It was a long night that had you crying and laughing at the same time, but not once did he shed a tear only letting his shoulders tense when it got to something sappy.

You still stood beside Rocket, listening to the song playing and his labored breathing.

You couldn't stop the tears from falling at the memory, it hurt every fiber of your being to just watch as he slowly died. You knew he couldn't hear you but, in that moment, you said his name. You talked to him like you were praying to a higher power. Not realizing there was a shadow looming behind you.

"He must be a loyal pet for you all to be going through this much trouble." Gamora's words hit your ears like a drum, and a kick into your side.

You could already feel the anger rising within you, "Pet? Seriously? He's a friend, family."

She followed your movements as you stood in front of her, your finger pressing roughly into her chest as you continued, not waiting for a response. "Something I don't expect you to understand, running with a group like the Ravagers."

Your finger on her chest faltered, your hand coming to her shoulder as you leaned on her for support as you let out a sob. "I may not have known you very well all those years ago and you may be Nebula's sister but that doesn't give you the right to come in here like you know what we've gone through."

You huffed in a breath of air, it didn't calm you, but it did make the lump in your throat lessen, "So, if you'd kindly fuck off that'd be lovely."

You watched as she nodded, surprised at your outburst but understanding enough to not argue back.

You brushed past her to leave the room, completely ignoring the fact you told her to leave.

Rocket was right about one thing, you and Gamora got along well, for the most part.

You were stuck on the ship with her. Drax and Mantis were nowhere in sight. The rest of the Guardians were out searching for the High Evolutionary on an Earth duplicate. Nebula wanted you to watch over Gamora just in case she decided to take off, but she doubted she would but it was still a slim possibility.

You decided to just rest while you had downtime, occupying one of the seats in the cockpit. You didn't know you had dozed off until the blaring sirens sounded over the intercom. You rushed toward the med bay, thinking the worst had happened to Rocket. You stilled in your movements at the sound of Gamora yelling for someone to drop Rocket. There was a thump against the ground just before something flew up and across the ship, the sound of crashing and Gamora's sounds of pain.

You pulled out your blaster and stepped out of the cockpit, aiming at whatever it was that attacked her. The sight before you frightened you, it was a robotic pig with many weapon enhancements and gear strapped to its pink body. You shot twice, missing purposefully as not to accidently hit Rocket who laid within its robotic hold. It didn't even flinch, it gave you a sideways glace before it continued walking down the hallway toward the offramp.

Just before you could line up another shot, Gamora had landed right on its back, stabbing it in the neck. It let out a scream of surprise and pain before throwing her off. You rushed at it while its back was turned and shoved it against the wall. It retaliated by grabbing your arm and flinging you all the way back into the stairs. Gamora let out a gasp, the fall must've knocked the wind out of her.

You watched as the pig lifted its mechanical arms over Gomora about to smash her body to oblivion, then you heard it, it sounded like a jet and before you could register what was happening the pig was pinned against the wall across from you. The sight of gold already had you fuming.

The pig and the Sovereign man talked, apparently working for the same person. It didn't matter at all to you who they worked for only that the Sovereign would be torn to pieces by you.

"Come on let's go." Gamora's hushed whisper was next to your ear as you sat up, only to fall back onto your elbow. You already knew you had broken something.

You shoved her away, "Get Rocket out of here,"

You could tell from her expression that she didn't want to leave you, but she already knew Rocket meant more to you than your own life. So, she nodded and hurriedly ran out of the ship, Rocket safely within her grasp.

You used the wall as your support, standing up fully and picking up your blaster. There was a loud sound of tearing metal that caught your attention. You turned your attention back to the two bickering and to your horror the Sovereign had torn the Pigs head off like it was nothing.

He turned to look at you then behind you before storming passed you like you weren't even there. That display of strength had fear building within your whole body, but the anger you felt outweighed that fear.

You turned and shot him once, his whole body turning back to you. You could see the look of confusion on his face as you shot him in the chest this time, tears brimming at the edge of your eyes and a tightness forming in your chest.

"I'm going to kill you for what you did to Rocket."  You could still see the confusion in his expression, but he scoffed and turned around, not even giving you a second glance,

"Hey, I'm talking toy you tin man!" Your words fell on deaf ears and as you approached him, anger fully rising, "Don't turn your back on me you piece of-"

You were cut off by an explosion right in front of you, it made you stumble into the wall. He said something underneath his breath, then just as quickly as he flew in, he flew off.

You screamed after him, not before seeing the clouds of smoke and fire being set off everywhere around you. You decided it was best to let it go, the need to find Rocket and Gamora overcoming your need for revenge.

You called for Gamora, only for the sound of explosions to drown out any response. Just as you were about to call for her again there was another explosion that sent you flying across the ship. You hit your head against the ceiling, the sound of Gamora not too far away from you had your mind at ease knowing she made it onto the ship safely. You tried to push yourself up off the floor, only to fall back down. Your body going numb. You could see the concern on Gamora's eyes as she looked down at you, black dots clouding your vision. You brought a hand up to your temple, the warm feeling between your fingers had you bringing your hand back to examine it. You felt your stomach turn at the sight of crimson, you could already feel more blood beginning to trickle down your forehead.

You could see the canines showing as Rocket smiled up at you, your hands moving skillfully alongside his while you helped him construct another one of his weapons. He laughed at your attempt to show off only for it to short circuit the wires you just put in. Rocket guided you with his paws showing you how it was done, not missing a beat in giving a backhanded compliment. You would usually laugh along with him, but you couldn't find that spark inside you to pretend this was okay and when he looked up at you, concern written all over his fluffy face, it hurt more than you'd ever admit.

You wanted so desperately to apologize to him, to tell him you failed and that maybe this was a mistake, but you couldn't even remember if it was the weapon you wanted to apologize for.

"I was just kidding, ya know." His rough voice seemed to snap you out of your daze.

You shook your head and smiled down at him, "I just miss you is all."

He smirked at that response, his brow raising slightly, "I see you every day, I didn't know you were that obsessed with me."

You shook your head, playfully rolling your eyes, "That's the last time I confess anything to you, Rocket."

He let out a hearty laugh that had you turning your head away in embarrassment.

You both continued working on his new weapon, the soft tune from the Zune playing in the far-off distance. You couldn't be happier enjoying the way he hummed along to the lyrics and skillfully finished up the last of your work with you.

You two sat in silence while he turned it on, the soft hum of the machine whirled to life, barely shaking the table. Rocket's eyes glanced up to you then back down at the machine, there was a hesitancy in the way his nose twitched. You could tell he wanted to ask you something, so you patiently waited while he found the words.

"Can you do me a favor?" His ask for help came as a surprise, he wasn't the one to ask for help often.

You nodded, waiting once again for him to respond. "Wake up."

His voice felt like drums in your ears ringing off the walls and bouncing back tenfold into your ear. You wanted to question him, ask why he would need you to do that when you were very much awake, but he repeated himself again. The words echoing around the room making it shake violently, his pleading expression unchanging as he faded in and out of existence.

"Wake up. Please, please wake up."

You shot up from your position on the floor coughing away the burning in your throat. You could feel the gentle press of cold fingertips against your chest and cheek. You tried so desperately to refocus your eyes on the figure above you, the faint outline of them slowly registering in your brain.

The tears you didn't know were trickling down your cheeks fell harder as a sob left the deepest part of your chest, your arms coming to wrap tightly around the small body in front of you. They let out a strained groan at the rough hold you had on them, holding them close to your chest as you nuzzled your face into their fur while tears clumped together on the roof of their head. You were too afraid to let go; afraid they would suddenly disappear if you pulled away.

"Doll, I think I might need a med pack if you squeeze any harder." His nickname had you sobbing harder into his fur.

After a few minutes you finally released your grip around his small body, only for your hands to come up to cup his cheeks within the palms of your hands while you put your forehead against his. You couldn't for the life of you let him go just yet, not when you could've lost him.

"I'm so sorry I couldn't stop him; I could've done more but I just stood there like an idiot while he hurt you. I promised myself I would get him back the next time I saw him." Your voice was shaky as you felt new tears fall from your eyes again.

You could feel his breath against your neck as you shook your head, a sob leaving your throat. "When I finally had him at arm's length, I just let him get away..."

Rocket brought his paw up to your cheek, slowly rubbing small circles with his thumbs. "You don't need to worry about that anymore, Doll. I'm here, I'm okay."

You pulled away from him sniffling, your head shaking in disagreement while you ran your fingertips down the back of his head and behind his ears. "I don't care. He hurt you... They hurt you. I'll kill him and that High Evolutionary bastard if it's the last thing I do."

Rocket chuckled, guiding your hands to hold within his own paws against his chest.

"You really are a sweetheart, but we need to save Nebs, Drax and Mant first. You can have your petty revenge when they're safe on the ship, yeah?" His sarcasm dripped off of his first few words, then teasing at the end.

You nodded along smiling softly, then it felt like you got slapped in the face by reality. "Where are they?"

"Where do you think?" You didn't have time to think about Rockets question.

Quill ran into the room you rested in, his words not fully registering as he motioned for you both to hurry up. With that you followed alongside Quill and Rocket while they explained the plan they had.