#starrdust

Nebula was frozen where she stood as she stared at the woman in wonder. She was looking down at the baton, looking up at Nebula in surprise, amusement, and some other emotion. All at the same time.

She took two steps back so the baton was no longer in her chest, and all the translucent versions of her solidified into one person, the one with bright green eyes shining with mirth. Nebula drops her weapon.

"Ava." The woman smiles and sparks fly. Actual sparks. Nebula had to pat her arm down so it wouldn't catch fire.

Ava smiled again. "Nice work out there, you looked great."

Nebula thinks her brain short-circuited because she couldn't talk. Ava was the most beautiful life form she had ever seen, and she has the voice of an angel.

"Right." Nebulas voice sounds even even more robotic than usual. "You, too."

Something in Avas expression changed, she looked even more amused. She smiled even wider. "I wanted to introduce myself and thank you for everything you've done."

Nebula couldn't find words. She was too busy taking in every detail she could about the other. Ava was a head shorter than Nebula, with dazzling green eyes and hair that looked so wonderfully soft and Nebula just wanted to reach out and run her fingers through it and--

"My name is Nebula." Were the words she found after a too long silence.

"Okay, Nebula." Ava was still smiling. She knew exactly what effect she had on Nebula. "Drop by San Francisco the next time you're on Earth. I would love to spend more time with you."

She winked. Ava winked at Nebula.

"Right." Nebula almost slapped herself to put out the sparks that were flying from her left temple. "Okay. I will. I need to- to leave. Now. Goodbye."

"Hopefully not for too long." Avas voice was full of mirth as it followed Nebula out of the building.

While getting the ship ready to leave Earth, Nebula broke the comfortable silence.

"When will we return to Earth?" She asked in what she hoped was nonchalance.

"Why would you want to return?" Drax asked. "This planet is garbage."

"It's because Nebula has a date." If raccoons could smirk, Rocket would be. "What's her name? Avery?"

"I will throw you out of the cargo hold." Nebula threatened darkly.

"You have a date?" Quill was holding back laughter.

"Terrans have terrible taste." Drax said, matter-of-factly. "If this woman considers you as a worthy partner."

"Shut up!" Nebula shouted, a few circuits in her face popping with bright sparks. "I will throw all of you off this ship!"

Quill let himself laugh, Rocket, Drax and Mantis joining in.

Nebula grabbed Rocket by his scruff and stormed over to the entrance, throwing him into the dirt of the outside world. She was about to shout and threaten him more, but she stopped when she saw who was watching.

Lang, his girlfriend Hope, and Ava were getting the ugly van ready for a long trip. The three of them were all staring at Nebula and Rocket. Lang waved and smiled.

"Bye, guys!" Lang said with a bright smile. "I had a lot of fun! Stop by whenever you feel like it."

"Yeah, sure thing." Rocket got up and started walking back to Nebula. "Do that again, and you're banned from my ship."

"As long as I don't have a reason to, I wont." Nebula shot back. Rocket snorted and started climbing Nebulas leg and torso, perching on her shoulder.

"Have fun in space!" Lang smiled like he was the happiest man in the universe as he got into his van.

"Bye, Nebula." Ava was also smiling, everyone was smiling. "Come back soon."

There was a small silence.

"We will," Rocket decided. He hit Nebula and leaned her toward the ship. "See you later."

"Goodbye, Ava." Nebule nodded once and started walking to the Benatar.

When they got back to the ship, Rocket jumped to the floor. Quill, Mantis and Drax were all watching, amused and close to laughter.

"So, her name is Ava?" Quill asked.

"Shut it." Nebula and Rocket snapped at the same time.

"We're getting back here as soon we can." Rocket said. "Nebula has a date."

Ava must have gathered enough confidence to finally do something about her crush, because about one month into her senior year, Nebula was blocked from entering the schools weight room.

"What do you want?"  Nebula snapped at the person standing in her way.

"I need to distract you and make sure you dont get in until I get the signal."  Hope Van Dyne said bluntly, her arms crossed as she glared at Nebula.  "I haven't gotten the signal, so you need to stay out here."

Nebula rolled her eyes.  "Is it Lang?"  Hope shook her head.  "Starr?"  She sighed when she got the confirmation.

"Hey."  Hope said harshly.  "I've had to listen to her talk about you for two years.  It got worse when you and Scott were assigned to the same group in physics and got to hang out every day, so you owe her at least five minutes."

"Why?"  Nebula sighed again and folded her arms over her chest.  "I never lead her on."

"But you never rejected her."  Hope was glaring, now.  "And she won't quit until you give her a clear answer."

"I'll give her a clear answer when she actually talks to me instead of stalking me."  Nebula shot back.  It was a shame the two of them were almost arguing.  Van Dyne was the most tolerable out of Langs group.

"Be nice."  Hope said.  "I know it's hard to be nice when you're a sociopath, but when she does talk to you, don't be too harsh about anything."

"I'm not a sociopath."  Nebula rolled her eyes.

Hope checked her phone, pressed her lips into a line, and looked up again.  "Be nice."

Hope leaned back on the door, letting Scott and the three idiots out of the weight room.

"Hey."  Scott said as he walked by.  "I think we're kind of friends, so I tell you this as a friend to both of you: don't make that face when you're in there."

Nebula brought her arm back to hit him, but stopped when one of the other idiots stepped in her way.

"No!"  It was Luis.  "He wasn't calling you unattractive or anything like that, because you are very beautiful.  He just meant that you kind of always look angry and Ava is really sensitive and if you go in there looking angry you might hurt her feelings and-"

Nebula walked into the weight room and slammed the door behind her.

A startled squeak brought Nebulas glare away from the door to settle on a terrified junior.  Ava Starr looked so nervous, it was a surprise she hadn't bolted yet.

"Hi, Ava."  Nebula said.  The weight room was empty, aside from the two.

"H-hey!"  Ava waved and fumbled for something on the dumbbell rack.  She produced a bouquet of flowers.  "So, I know I've been- uh, weird.  For a while."

Nebula didn't say anything.  She watched Ava stutter from the other side of the room.

"And I want to apologize for, erm, stalking you."  Ava took some tentative steps forward.  "And I-I got--" she rushed forward and held the flowers up to Nebula without looking at her.  "I got you these."

Nebula gingerly took the bouquet and studied it, picking on of the pink ones out.

"That's a hyacinth, it means-means a sporty attitude."  Ava said quietly.  "I thought it was fitting, because- um, you know, you're really good at sports  and I've gone to a lot of your games and--"

"They have meanings?"  Nebula spoke up, looking up in confusion.  "The flowers?"

"Yes!"  Ava nodded enthusiastically, seeming to gain some confidence as she stepped forward and started pointing out specific flowers in the bunch.  "This is an orchid, and it means beauty and proud femininity--which I think applies to you a lot."

The corners of Nebulas mouth quirked up in a small smile.  She picked one flower out.  "And this?"

"That's a snapdragon!  It means strength, and you're the strongest person in this school."  Ava was smiling brightly.  "And that's a tulip, and it represents a declaration."

"Declaration?"  Nebula asked.  She had a vague idea where this was going, but she didn't like assuming things.

"Yes."  Ava sounded much more confident in herself than when she'd started.  "I like you.  You knew that, but I wanted to say it.  I like you a lot."

Nebula did know.  Everybody knew.  But to hear it out loud from Ava herself, it caught her off guard.

"And," Ava started fidgeting with the sleeves of her sweater.  "I am declaring that I want you to go to the homecoming dance with me."

Nebula froze.  She didn't know that would come.

She thought back over the two years she had known about Ava.

Nebula thought about seeing her bright and smiling face painted with the school colors at every game.  About the dozen roses she would hand to Nebula on Valentines Day each year.  The two candy canes she would receive on the last day before winter break compared to everyone else's one.

Nebula thought back on how she felt on each of these occasions.  The confusion that eventually turned to a fondness she couldn't explain, the flustered blushes that she blamed on the school being to warm, the uncharacteristic adoration she felt when she saw Ava with a cheerleaders bow in her hair, the strange sadness she felt when Ava wasn't on the squad at the next game.

Eventually the silence stretched for too long and Ava was rushing to apologize and leave.

"Yes."

It was Avas turn to freeze, this time.  She stared at Nebula for a moment, and then smiled.  She rushed forward and threw her arms around Nebula with a joyful squeal.

"Thank you!  Thank you!"  Ava was saying, her feet completely leaving the floor and Nebula put her arm around her waist so she wouldn't fall.  "Thank you so much!  I promise you won't disappointed."

Nebula smiled.

The chaos compels.