#quebula

quill in denial until mantis and rocket corner him to grill him on it because he’s been staring and listening to even sappier music than usual and it’s so damned obvious

both of them being 100000.00% certain the other would never return their feelings

nebula’s certainty compounded by the ever-present ghost of their gamora, her name on his lips after every drunken stupor nebula used to rescue him from, knowing in the hollowest parts of her soul she could never compare. second place again, always. she’s so tired. she can’t decide if these feelings are more stupid or selfish

quill agonizing over whether or not to tell her, but she’ll definitely kill him, right? he can’t stop blurting out compliments to her though, so it’s bound to spill out eventually. still, she never looks like she believes him

nebula hating her reflection, wishing she was beautiful and then hating herself for the sheer vanity of the notion. as if beauty could trick anyone into loving her. tracing a hand along the raised scars all over her body, the cold edges where metal meet flesh

quill doing a great job keeping his temper in check until the scumbags they’re facing off with call nebula “hideous” and she stays uncharacteristically quiet. he doesn’t remember much after “second-hand gamora-bot”

nebula’s steady bracing weight against him as she drags his sorry ass home from yet another bar fight. “you weren’t even drunk this time, what were you thinking?” she hisses, but he knows there’s no bite behind it. her side presses warm against his

“couldn’t let them say that shit,” quill mumbling like a petulant teenager, hoping she doesn’t take offense to his white knighting

nebula rolling her eyes, “assholes maybe but they weren’t wrong.” quill stopping in his tracks so hard it nearly throws them off balance

quill wanting nothing more than to get it through her head that she’s beautiful. she’s always been beautiful, even back when she was trying to kill them. even more now that she feels like home and the night lamps casting a glow around her right now are just so fucking unfair

mantis rushing out before he can say anything and helping nebula wrap his ankle and busted hand. there’s a second when mantis’ hand brushes nebula’s while they work and he swears a look of such shock and sadness floods her face- but then the sharp sting of disinfectant makes him blink and the expression is gone and so is nebula

nebula spiraling in self loathing - she hates herself, disgusts herself, surely she disgusts him too? and now mantis probably knows

rocket wisely not commenting when she sits down moodily while he works and just. aggressively cleans machine parts. after a while they just relax into familiar, companionable silence

nebula not wanting to risk any of this

OH WHAT IS THIS?! A new fanfiction?!

Nebula: There's a water drought across all of Knowhere. We have to reserve the water.

Peter: Ok show me—

Nebula: There is not enough water for everyone so we have to shower together, it’s just something that happens.

Peter: Where did you learn that?

Nebula: On my phone, it’s right here.

Peter: Ok show me the notification.

[Nebula crushes her phone in her metal hand]

note: soulmate au. not quite finished, but i didn't want to wait any longer to post. here's the first bit, hopefully i'll get around to finishing it sometime soon.

prompt: free day rating: G for @starbula-week, day 7

Nebula is four when she first feels it. A feeling that is not her own. A hollow ache in her chest that feels so overwhelming she forgets how to breathe.

Her mother notices the panic on her face and rushes to her side.

“Nebula, darling, is everything okay?”

Nebula doesn't know how to answer. She was fine just a few moments ago. Now there are tears streaming down her face and a sense of grief is filling her heart. She has a sudden urge to hug her mother tight and never let go.

Later that evening, when the worst of it has passed, she learns about soulmates.

---

Peter is fifteen and it almost knocks him over.

Him and Yondu and a few of the other Ravagers are out celebrating a successful haul. Peter is at the bar getting another round for everyone when out of nowhere–fear. Vast, staggering fear.

He knows what this is, but he screws his eyes shut and wills the feeling away. He's only young, he doesn't want to worry about soulmates yet.

But the feeling doesn't go away. It stays, it grows. And for the first time in a long time, Peter thinks of Earth and misses the people he left behind.

“When you two come together there’s like, a moment between you two” - James Gunn