Dust was volatile shit. Sure, it made the user invulnerable and stronger than Hercules, but it also left a guy wrung out and nauseated – and left them with a fifty-fifty shot of craving another fix. There were a couple of Ravagers who got hooked on the stuff that Peter remembers; they weren't Ravagers for very long, either because their addiction got to be too much and forced Yondu to kick them out, or because they chased that high too often and overdosed on the junk.
The successful dealers never touched the stuff, but it seems Cryon is desperate enough to risk it. And if he does, this day is going to get a whole lot worse for Peter and Gamora.
Peter hits the trigger on his mask, holstering both guns. He puts up both hands as he steps forward. ]
Hey, dude. [ Slowly, insistently, but not unkindly. ] Put that stuff down. You know you don't wanna use it.
[ Cryon backs away when Peter walks towards him, raising that fistful of Dust. ]
There's no way I'm getting out of this, and you fucking know it. I'm not just gonna let you haul me off to the Nova Corps o-or blow my damn brains out!
I'm outta options, you bastards.
[ He spits the words with all the venom he can muster, and before Gamora can close the distance between them and grab his wrist, Cryon lifts the Dust to his face and just inhales.
He falls back a few steps with a shout of surprise (evidently, he didn't expect the rush of sensation that accompanies the drug), and he shakes as his breathing picks up.
Gamora curses shortly, and in an effort to overwhelm Cryon before the drug can take effect, she darts forward with her sword drawn. Apparently (and unfortunately for them), Dust works monumentally faster than she thought it would, and in the time it takes her to rush the dealer, all he has to do is swing his arm to send her flying across the room.
She crashes into a stack of crates, though as they crumple and collapse around her, they seem to be mercifully empty – but that means she finds herself half-buried under the weight of them as a few cave in around her shoulders on impact. They break open, but the worst they seem to be carrying is broken glass, shards of which she knows will work themselves back out of her skin, given the shallowness of the contusions she's vividly aware of. No Dust spills out around her, but as she tries to pry herself away from the glass and crates, there's some— strange residue on the glass, but it's light, barely worth her notice, and she simply brushes it aside because she doesn't have time to concern herself with Cryon's used phials.
She especially doesn't have time because Cryon barrels towards Peter with a roar of rage, intent on putting the Terran through any walls he has to in order to get to his exit. The other Guardians are just outside the hall leading out of the warehouse, but Cryon, in his Dust-fueled haze, seems to think of nothing but getting out of the building. ]
[ Peter's in the middle of shouting a useless, "Don't— no, stop!" just as Cryon takes the hit.
The next thing that's out of Peter's mouth is a forlorn, Shit.
Gamora steps forward before Peter can fire off a good shot, and just as quickly, she's sent flying into crates. Peter shouts her name, takes a few running steps toward her, when noise catches his attention.
Pounding footsteps, more accurately. Cryon's pounding footstep. Another curse escapes Peter's lips as he frantically hits the trigger for his helmet, tries to dodge out of the way, only he's not quick enough. Cryon slams into him, and they crash through the (shockingly flimsy, Peter distantly muses) wall. Masonry falls around them as Cryon drives a dazed Peter to the ground. Peter groans, blinking away stars. Cryon seems to get his bearings much faster, scrambling to his feet—
And he finds himself staring down the barrel of an oversized gun.
Rocket grins a sharp smile, and Drax stands behind him, both knives at the ready. Kraglin and Mantis, with Groot on her shoulder, stand a few paces further back, weapons raised.
Rocket's rifle whirs to life, charging up a shot. ]
Nice of you to drop by.
[ Cryon snarls at them all, the drug coursing through his system. He leaps at Rocket, absorbing the first shot, then the second, and Rocket sighs out, Oh, hell— as Cryon bats him to one side.
Peter only manages to push himself onto all fours, once Cryon starts grappling with Drax.
He chokes out, ] Five minutes.
[ Which is about how long they need to occupy Cryon before the drug starts to fade.
[ A lot can happen in five minutes – a fact they all seem to forget as Drax wrestles Cryon to the ground. They need to keep him contained, keep him from fleeing the scene, because admittedly, no one is going to want to deal with this mess all over again.
Gamora hauls herself up from the mess of crates around her, shaking glass out of her hair before she's following the trail of rubble left behind by Cryon and Peter.
She stops short when she sees the chaos awaiting her outside, her eyes moving from the fiercely struggling drug dealer to Peter, trying to get himself back up. She doesn't immediately go to help him to his feet, muscles coiled and ready to leap at Cryon instead, but she throws a quick, ]
Are you hurt?
[ —over her shoulder to Peter.
... Unfortunately, she doesn't exactly have the time to wait for his answer, because Cryon suddenly throws Drax to the side, sending him bowling into Kraglin and Mantis. Groot leaps free of Mantis's shoulder in time to avoid the heap of bodies, and with a squeaky battle cry, he hits the ground and sends vines curling around Cryon's legs. ]
Groot!
[ It's not only Gamora's voice calling out with concern for the sapling, and Rocket is scrambling back to his feet just as Gamora moves forward to deal with their target.
Groot yanks at Cryon's knees with more tiny shouts, and he manages to send the dealer sprawling to the ground – before Cryon reaches for Groot's small body, dragging him into his hold and snapping the comparatively frail vines that knocked him to the ground. Groot's fierce cries turn to panic, and he pushes at Cryon's fist with his little hands as the man starts to squeeze with that unreasonable strength.
Just as Groot begins to wail, Gamora swoops in with every ounce of speed she has, and with a grapple Cryon barely has time to register, she flips Cryon one direction and keeps the arm holding Groot almost entirely stationary.
... The sound of Cryon's arm dislocating is almost excruciatingly loud – and proof that the drug is starting to wear thin. If they can damage him at all, the Dust should be working its way out of his system, but Gamora is more concerned with catching Groot as Cryon's limp grip releases the tiny tree. ]
[ By the time Peter's even thinking about answering her question, Gamora is already charging in to rescue Groot.
And man, there's no stronger motivator in the world than that kid's panicked cries.
Peter shoves himself to his feet, and so does Rocket, and the instant Gamora moves away from Cryon, the two of them fire on him, bolts of electricity that rack the man's system but only seem to affect him slightly. ]
Gamora, over here!
[ And Peter raises a free hand. Apparently it's time for the Guardians' favorite game: Groot Ball. ]
[ If anything, the electricity combined with his dislocated arm only seem to enrage Cryon, and Gamora is still mentally counting down the seconds until they can really get at this piece of scum. Of course, she's also rapidly become the target of Cryon's Dust-fueled rage, and she barely has time to duck before he swings at her again with his unbroken arm.
She hits the ground, cradling Groot protectively in one hand, until Peter's voice draws her attention away from their raging enemy. ]
Take him!
[ She calls right back before she chucks Groot across the field to Peter (and, for all that it may be irresponsible to throw a child, Groot actually giggles as he soars through the air).
Fortunately, with both hands free, she has the right amount of time to react when Cryon swings again for her, and she reaches up to catch the blow, using his own momentum to throw him as far as she can manage. He lands on his damaged shoulder with a howl of pain, but he's noticeably slower getting to his feet this time. ]
[ Sure, it's irresponsible, but that's pretty much the Guardians' mode of operation. So when Groot gleefully flies toward him, Peter snatches him out of the air, helping the little guy clamber onto Peter's shoulder.
After that, Cryon crashes to the floor, screaming with pain, and when he gets up again, Peter heaves out a sigh. ]
Just stay down, man—
[ But Cryon doesn't listen, and instead makes another dash for the exit. Drax, at least, physically blocks his path latching onto the man's dislocated shoulder and twisting. Cryon howls again, lashing out with his good arm. Whatever effects the drug still has is enough to break Drax's hold, however, and Drax kicks out, the sole of his boot connecting with Cryon's gut. Cryon flies back, sprawling out, and snarling with rage. He makes to jump up again, but—
Peter shoots him. Again and again. And again, just for good measure. ]
[ Finally, mercifully, Cryon stays down on the fourth shot. His body smokes with the leftover heat from the blasts, and he barely twitches.
Gamora steps forward to nudge him with her foot ("nudge" – more like "kick"), and he doesn't quite groan, but he makes some guttural, pitiful noise and then falls completely still. There's no sign of breathing, and he's slumped down like a puppet with its strings cut, limbs at odd angles and jaw gone slack. She doesn't feel inclined to look for a pulse, but— she's hardly surprised.
With the amount of Dust in his system, she's amazed he didn't overdose on the spot. ]
This could have been so much easier.
[ Her words are short, displeased as she shakes her head. She's prickling with agitation, and she rolls her shoulders to try and disregard it.
Probably the leftover adrenaline from such a frustrating battle. ]
We should contact the Nova Corps to have them retrieve the body and whatever's left in his storeroom.
Could have been— [ And Peter hits the trigger for his mask, metal flickering away from his face in blue light. ] —but when is it ever?
[ Rocket grumbles his agreement, holstering his gun on his back before brushing dirt and dust from his fur. The others gather themselves, and Peter notes the strangely dismayed look on Mantis's face. Startled, maybe, by how quickly she was taken down? He'll have to ask later, he thinks. Groot starts climbing down from Peter's shoulder, and Peter helps him down the rest of the way, where he hurries over to check over Rocket. (The latter offers a gruff, "I'm fine, Groot," before assessing the little guy for injuries of his own.)
As it is, Peter murmurs out his agreement at Gamora's suggestion, and he connects with the Nova Corpsman in the area, offering coordinates, information, answering the questions put to him. Predictably, when the corpsmen arrive, the Guardians fuck off to one side (as always, and man, that's annoying), leaving Peter to deal with the officials. He goes through the same song and dance, repeating himself at least two more times before the officers seem satisfied. On the bright side, the Guardians get paid, Cryon gets hauled away in an ambulance, and the crates and crates and crates of incriminating evidence are carted off.
Finally, Peter is allowed to go, though one shy cadet stops him just as he's heading over to the others. She dithers and talks around it, but at length she asks the illustrious Star-Lord for an autograph. And who is Peter to deny her request when she asks so nicely? He signs what might actually be a citation book, and he sees her off with a wink and a grin.
At last, he heads over to his team, clapping his hands. ]
[ If she can avoid it, Gamora prefers to let Peter handle their Nova interactions. He does it well, whether he enjoys it or not, and if he's to be the recognized leader of the Guardians, it's far more his place than hers. While she's more than willing to offer debriefs when needed, she has to imagine there's something about the unwelcoming flat look on her face that seems to discourage any curious Corpsman. Peter is approachable, and they tend to take advantage of that.
Today, however, she additionally appreciates the fact that Peter handles everything. That strange agitation hasn't started to sluff off yet, no matter how she tries to center herself, to focus in the midst of the controlled chaos of the bustling Corpsmen clearing out the area. It's never been this much of a challenge, but her skin heats and her heart beats just shy of too fast, and it seems to channel itself into— something she can't quite grasp.
It doesn't truly rear its head until her eyes fall on the blushing cadet who gets Peter's attention, and the way she smiles and coos over him makes Gamora's nerves fire with a rush of sensation and emotion that she doesn't entirely understand, but she knows it makes her want to yank Peter immediately out of the cadet's range and grab him by the—
She halts immediately on that wholly unprecedented line of thinking, startled by how volatile her reaction was. She's never more than mildly disgruntled by the way women (and men alike) fawn over Peter, how he indulges them in that altogether roguish and charming Star-Lord way, but... that was different.
And she has no idea what to make of it.
But with Peter ushering them off and out, it's back to the Milano to get off the Lorakian moon and return to the Quadrant.
Good. The sooner she can get her head on straight, the better.
Unfortunately, it's somehow that much harder to take her eyes off of Peter, to stop watching him all the way back to the ship. She doesn't realize she's doing it until she briefly catches his gaze, and then she simply turns her attention to the bulkhead instead, like she hadn't just been staring at him.
She simply needs to shower and decompress, she tells herself. To meditate and soothe wherever this mess is coming from.
... And yet, she's still staring when they dock the Milano and everyone else starts to go their separate ways. Rocket is carrying Groot off, grumbling something about assholes who pick on kids, and Drax offers to warm a bowl of soup for a still slightly distraught Mantis as he herds her away through the halls. ]
[ The way back to the ship is— weirdly tense, if only to Peter. He's not sure why he's getting that impression, falling into an easy back and forth with Kraglin. Peter may be Kraglin's captain, now, but Kraglin will always be something like Peter's shitty older brother, and the two of them tease and dig at each other. Kraglin punches him in the arm, and Peter gets the guy into a headlock for his troubles, and all the while Rocket rolls his eyes and grumbles, "Ravagers."
Eventually their rowdiness dies down once they're aboard the Milano, and Peter slips into his customary seat at the helm. Peter feels his skin itching – that telltale sign that he's being watched. He stiffens a little, glancing around, and—
He catches Gamora's gaze, blinking at the way her eyes bore into him. His lips part to ask, "What's wrong?" but her gaze darts away. And, okay, probably not the best idea to call her out in front of the rest of the crew, so he lets it slide, trusting that if something was wrong, she'd come to him.
Hopefully, anyway.
They dock the ship in the Quadrant's hangar, and everyone files off in search of their own methods of decompressing.
Well, everyone but Gamora, who remains in her usual seat, and Peter lets out a breath, standing from his seat. ]
Hey.
[ Softly, trying not to startle her too badly out of whatever reverie she's caught in. ]
[ She immediately refocuses at the sound of Peter's voice, and her attention flickers away from that strange middle distance to glance back at him. ]
... I'm fine.
[ She forces a slow exhale, low and steady, before she pulls herself up from her seat. But that intense look is still in her eyes, her heart beating that much quicker in her chest as she stands so close to Peter, within arms' reach. ]
That just didn't go as planned.
[ When did anything ever, though?
Her fingers flex at her side, and she has to stop herself from taking a step closer to him, to stop from reaching out – because where did that urge come from? She wants to touch him, wants that contact they had back at the motel, though it's so sudden, accompanying something almost like a— headrush, Peter's called it.
She walks across the deck, then just halts with the slightest accompanying sway. ]
[ He rubs at his shoulder, feels the bruises settling along his back. It's not everyday that Peter gets tackled through a wall, and even if Cryon took the brunt of it, Peter knows he's going to be sore as hell come tomorrow.
When she steps closer to him, he frowns, notices the strange way she sways. That's— not really normal, he thinks. ]
[ Peter isn't entirely convinced she's fine, as she says – but he knows she can be just as stubborn as he is. In all likelihood, she won't admit something's wrong until she's stumbling down a corridor.
At her question, it's his turn to shake his head. ]
Cryon absorbed most of the hit. I just went for a ride.
[ He lets his hand drop, head tilting to the ladder leading to the main deck. ]
We both could use some rest, I figure. We oughta head in.
[ Behind the vague haze still clinging to the edges of her awareness, Gamora is willing to concede that they should settle in for a bit – while making a mental note to see about getting ice for Peter the next day for his inevitable bruises.
She nods, then heads for the ladder. Maybe it's her practiced balance that keeps her level as she climbs down from the ship, but this time, she doesn't waver or misstep, and she glances back at Peter evenly. ]
If you happen to have anything clean to wear, I'm going to borrow that.
[ ... And there she goes assuming she's headed straight for Peter's room. As usual.
She could stop by her own bunk, change as she always has been, but that's one more stop than she feels inclined to make with that still-present agitation and... fuzziness? Is that the best way to describe it? ]
[ Peter watches her carefully as she moves, as she climbs down the ladder. She seems better, now, and that strange sway that had accompanied her earlier seems to have disappeared. He frowns a little, wonders if he imagined it, but when she glances up to him, he’s careful to wipe that uncertainty away. ]
— Wait, what?
[ No, he heard what she said, even if he doesn’t understand it immediately. When it finally clicks, he blinks, breathes out a quiet, ]
Oh. Uh.
[ And his brain quickly short-circuits with the mental image of Gamora in one of his shirts.
They really need to talk about this. About them. And the reminder brushes away that blissful little cloud.
He clears his throat, climbing down after her. ]
You sure you don’t wanna stop off at your room first? [ Since that’s usually what she does. ]
[ That haze of irritation makes itself known all over again, and for some reason, the idea of leaving Peter even long enough to change in her own bunk doesn't sound appealing. She wants to be close, she wants to be near him, she wants—
—her hands to be all over him—
She frowns at the suddenness of the impulse, and she shakes it away quickly. ]
No. [ Decisive, simple. ] Unless everything you own needs to be washed, but I trust you at least have one clean shirt.
[ And she's geared so much towards that decisiveness that she's already heading out of the docks towards Peter's quarters, expecting him to follow. ]
[ He’s about to let out a sheepish sort of laugh, about to murmur, “Uh, yeah, I’m sure there’s at least... one...” but she marches off with far more purpose than usual. He blinks at her retreating back, hurrying to keep up. ]
What’s the rush?
[ On something of a laugh, if only to mask his unease. ]
[ He frowns a little, and— okay. Yeah. That makes sense. They’re both kind of a mess, admittedly, and dust still clings to his own shoulders from his trip through the wall in the warehouse. He certainly can’t blame her for wanting to get cleaned up.
As long as that’s all it is, and he keeps flipping back to those few seconds when she swayed slightly on her feet in the flight deck. An injury she’s hiding, maybe? An injury she doesn’t even know about? He’ll have to keep an eye on her. ]
... Alright. [ Still with that touch of doubt, even as he tries to conceal it. He figures Gamora would just get pissed at him if he admitted he didn’t quite believe her.
They pass by a few of the others on their way to Peter’s bunk – and Mantis and Drax give them strange looks as he and Gamora wander past. Something knowing, something even a little wistful, and Peter staunchly ignores them both. He’s glad, once they reach the safety of the captain’s quarters, and he lets Gamora enter first. It’s a mess, as it always is, but shockingly, he’s done laundry recently – though he hasn’t quite reached the point where he’s actually put his clothing away. The clean clothes still sit in a chaotic pile in the basket on one of the couches.
Peter shrugs out of his coat, still standing beside the door. Thanks to weeks of practice, Peter tosses his coat onto the back of one of the overstuffed seats. He’s in the middle of scrubbing dust out of his hair as he nods Gamora toward the laundry basket. ]
[ It's odd, but Gamora barely even registers Mantis and Drax when they pass by them in the hall. She doesn't pay them so much as a cursory glance, where normally she might find herself at least mildly perturbed by the looks on their faces (because that knowingness is somehow more confident than Gamora is about whatever it is hanging between her and Peter).
Fortunately, the captain's quarters aren't much farther than that. As usual, the messiness of Peter's room doesn't faze her – if only because he hasn't quite reached the point of too messy; she'd lived through the disaster that the Milano had become after housing them all in such enclosed space for so long.
She nods in vague acknowledgment as she heads over to his laundry. Picking through it doesn't take long, and she eventually ends up plucking out a black short-sleeved shirt, because it will do just as well as anything else. It's all going to be far too big for her, considering how broad Peter is, but it's undeniably better than the bloody, ripped thing she's still wearing.
Rubbing a hand briefly over her eyes (and definitely forgetting a "thank you"), she retreats to the private bathroom to change. She abandons her old shirt in favor of Peter's, and, as expected, it's huge on her, but the fabric feels soft and cool against her skin (because is she warmer than usual? No, surely not.). She looks at herself in the mirror for a moment, Peter's shirt hanging off of one of her shoulders. She tugs gently at the hem, fingers curling and uncurling in the material before she slips a hair tie from her pocket to secure her hair away from her face.
It's noticeably warmer in Peter's room than she remembers it being, and maybe she'll ask him to turn down the heat, but— instead, she's preoccupied with wandering back out to find him instead.
The temperature is far less of a concern.
She leaves the bathroom, at least getting as far as the doorframe before she just leans against it, looking out at Peter. ]
[ ... Okay. Gamora’s silence isn’t exactly out of character, and her lack of thanks isn’t unexpected, but Peter watches her come and go with a concerned look, all the same. When she slips into the bathroom, shirt in hand, all of his fantasies of her clad only in his clothing are soured by the worry he still feels.
He frowns, shaking his head, before tugging off his own shirt, tossing it away to join his dirty jacket. He plucks out a clean shirt from the basket, tugging it on; it’s a wrinkled mess, but at least it’s clean. He considers contacting one of the others, asking if they noticed anything off about Gamora while he was dealing with the Nova officials. Maybe someone else saw something, or maybe someone else can reassure him that he’s just imagining things, that he’s being his usual worrywart-self.
Peter’s just a twitch away from calling up Rocket, but he hears the door to the bathroom slide open. He glances over his shoulder, and—
Oh.
Yeah. Okay. Uh.
(That’s a mental image getting filed away for later.)
He blinks at her, and for a second, he almost doesn’t realize she’s called for him. Thankfully, her suggestion (order?) reminds him that words are a thing, and he licks his lips, taking only a step to close the space between them. ]
[ She frowns slightly, because clearly, that's not close enough. Instead, she pushes away from the doorframe, intent on closing that gap between them until she can reach out, curl fingers into his shirt and yank at the fabric, like she means to pull him even closer. ]
How many times will I have to tell you that I'm fine?
[ She's fine; everything is just... warm.
And it seems to... swim ever so slightly.
But whatever it is is clearly not concerning enough, because she's much more focused on him in that moment, and it's like she's completely forgotten about the conversation they need to have that's kept things... careful since after the motel and N'Calo. ]
[ Even in the dim light of the room, Peter notices that slight unsteadiness of her gait, the flush in her cheeks, the glassiness of her eyes. He frowns at her, rocking onto his back foot and putting up both hands. ]
You don’t look fine.
[ Softly, worry naked in his voice. ]
Maybe we should get you to the infirmary. I mean, that was a pretty nasty fall you took back there. You might have a concussion or something.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Dust was volatile shit. Sure, it made the user invulnerable and stronger than Hercules, but it also left a guy wrung out and nauseated – and left them with a fifty-fifty shot of craving another fix. There were a couple of Ravagers who got hooked on the stuff that Peter remembers; they weren't Ravagers for very long, either because their addiction got to be too much and forced Yondu to kick them out, or because they chased that high too often and overdosed on the junk.
The successful dealers never touched the stuff, but it seems Cryon is desperate enough to risk it. And if he does, this day is going to get a whole lot worse for Peter and Gamora.
Peter hits the trigger on his mask, holstering both guns. He puts up both hands as he steps forward. ]
Hey, dude. [ Slowly, insistently, but not unkindly. ] Put that stuff down. You know you don't wanna use it.
no subject
[ Cryon backs away when Peter walks towards him, raising that fistful of Dust. ]
There's no way I'm getting out of this, and you fucking know it. I'm not just gonna let you haul me off to the Nova Corps o-or blow my damn brains out!
I'm outta options, you bastards.
[ He spits the words with all the venom he can muster, and before Gamora can close the distance between them and grab his wrist, Cryon lifts the Dust to his face and just inhales.
He falls back a few steps with a shout of surprise (evidently, he didn't expect the rush of sensation that accompanies the drug), and he shakes as his breathing picks up.
Gamora curses shortly, and in an effort to overwhelm Cryon before the drug can take effect, she darts forward with her sword drawn. Apparently (and unfortunately for them), Dust works monumentally faster than she thought it would, and in the time it takes her to rush the dealer, all he has to do is swing his arm to send her flying across the room.
She crashes into a stack of crates, though as they crumple and collapse around her, they seem to be mercifully empty – but that means she finds herself half-buried under the weight of them as a few cave in around her shoulders on impact. They break open, but the worst they seem to be carrying is broken glass, shards of which she knows will work themselves back out of her skin, given the shallowness of the contusions she's vividly aware of. No Dust spills out around her, but as she tries to pry herself away from the glass and crates, there's some— strange residue on the glass, but it's light, barely worth her notice, and she simply brushes it aside because she doesn't have time to concern herself with Cryon's used phials.
She especially doesn't have time because Cryon barrels towards Peter with a roar of rage, intent on putting the Terran through any walls he has to in order to get to his exit. The other Guardians are just outside the hall leading out of the warehouse, but Cryon, in his Dust-fueled haze, seems to think of nothing but getting out of the building. ]
no subject
The next thing that's out of Peter's mouth is a forlorn, Shit.
Gamora steps forward before Peter can fire off a good shot, and just as quickly, she's sent flying into crates. Peter shouts her name, takes a few running steps toward her, when noise catches his attention.
Pounding footsteps, more accurately. Cryon's pounding footstep. Another curse escapes Peter's lips as he frantically hits the trigger for his helmet, tries to dodge out of the way, only he's not quick enough. Cryon slams into him, and they crash through the (shockingly flimsy, Peter distantly muses) wall. Masonry falls around them as Cryon drives a dazed Peter to the ground. Peter groans, blinking away stars. Cryon seems to get his bearings much faster, scrambling to his feet—
And he finds himself staring down the barrel of an oversized gun.
Rocket grins a sharp smile, and Drax stands behind him, both knives at the ready. Kraglin and Mantis, with Groot on her shoulder, stand a few paces further back, weapons raised.
Rocket's rifle whirs to life, charging up a shot. ]
Nice of you to drop by.
[ Cryon snarls at them all, the drug coursing through his system. He leaps at Rocket, absorbing the first shot, then the second, and Rocket sighs out, Oh, hell— as Cryon bats him to one side.
Peter only manages to push himself onto all fours, once Cryon starts grappling with Drax.
He chokes out, ] Five minutes.
[ Which is about how long they need to occupy Cryon before the drug starts to fade.
Piece of cake, right? ]
no subject
Gamora hauls herself up from the mess of crates around her, shaking glass out of her hair before she's following the trail of rubble left behind by Cryon and Peter.
She stops short when she sees the chaos awaiting her outside, her eyes moving from the fiercely struggling drug dealer to Peter, trying to get himself back up. She doesn't immediately go to help him to his feet, muscles coiled and ready to leap at Cryon instead, but she throws a quick, ]
Are you hurt?
[ —over her shoulder to Peter.
... Unfortunately, she doesn't exactly have the time to wait for his answer, because Cryon suddenly throws Drax to the side, sending him bowling into Kraglin and Mantis. Groot leaps free of Mantis's shoulder in time to avoid the heap of bodies, and with a squeaky battle cry, he hits the ground and sends vines curling around Cryon's legs. ]
Groot!
[ It's not only Gamora's voice calling out with concern for the sapling, and Rocket is scrambling back to his feet just as Gamora moves forward to deal with their target.
Groot yanks at Cryon's knees with more tiny shouts, and he manages to send the dealer sprawling to the ground – before Cryon reaches for Groot's small body, dragging him into his hold and snapping the comparatively frail vines that knocked him to the ground. Groot's fierce cries turn to panic, and he pushes at Cryon's fist with his little hands as the man starts to squeeze with that unreasonable strength.
Just as Groot begins to wail, Gamora swoops in with every ounce of speed she has, and with a grapple Cryon barely has time to register, she flips Cryon one direction and keeps the arm holding Groot almost entirely stationary.
... The sound of Cryon's arm dislocating is almost excruciatingly loud – and proof that the drug is starting to wear thin. If they can damage him at all, the Dust should be working its way out of his system, but Gamora is more concerned with catching Groot as Cryon's limp grip releases the tiny tree. ]
no subject
And man, there's no stronger motivator in the world than that kid's panicked cries.
Peter shoves himself to his feet, and so does Rocket, and the instant Gamora moves away from Cryon, the two of them fire on him, bolts of electricity that rack the man's system but only seem to affect him slightly. ]
Gamora, over here!
[ And Peter raises a free hand. Apparently it's time for the Guardians' favorite game: Groot Ball. ]
no subject
She hits the ground, cradling Groot protectively in one hand, until Peter's voice draws her attention away from their raging enemy. ]
Take him!
[ She calls right back before she chucks Groot across the field to Peter (and, for all that it may be irresponsible to throw a child, Groot actually giggles as he soars through the air).
Fortunately, with both hands free, she has the right amount of time to react when Cryon swings again for her, and she reaches up to catch the blow, using his own momentum to throw him as far as she can manage. He lands on his damaged shoulder with a howl of pain, but he's noticeably slower getting to his feet this time. ]
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After that, Cryon crashes to the floor, screaming with pain, and when he gets up again, Peter heaves out a sigh. ]
Just stay down, man—
[ But Cryon doesn't listen, and instead makes another dash for the exit. Drax, at least, physically blocks his path latching onto the man's dislocated shoulder and twisting. Cryon howls again, lashing out with his good arm. Whatever effects the drug still has is enough to break Drax's hold, however, and Drax kicks out, the sole of his boot connecting with Cryon's gut. Cryon flies back, sprawling out, and snarling with rage. He makes to jump up again, but—
Peter shoots him. Again and again. And again, just for good measure. ]
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Gamora steps forward to nudge him with her foot ("nudge" – more like "kick"), and he doesn't quite groan, but he makes some guttural, pitiful noise and then falls completely still. There's no sign of breathing, and he's slumped down like a puppet with its strings cut, limbs at odd angles and jaw gone slack. She doesn't feel inclined to look for a pulse, but— she's hardly surprised.
With the amount of Dust in his system, she's amazed he didn't overdose on the spot. ]
This could have been so much easier.
[ Her words are short, displeased as she shakes her head. She's prickling with agitation, and she rolls her shoulders to try and disregard it.
Probably the leftover adrenaline from such a frustrating battle. ]
We should contact the Nova Corps to have them retrieve the body and whatever's left in his storeroom.
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[ Rocket grumbles his agreement, holstering his gun on his back before brushing dirt and dust from his fur. The others gather themselves, and Peter notes the strangely dismayed look on Mantis's face. Startled, maybe, by how quickly she was taken down? He'll have to ask later, he thinks. Groot starts climbing down from Peter's shoulder, and Peter helps him down the rest of the way, where he hurries over to check over Rocket. (The latter offers a gruff, "I'm fine, Groot," before assessing the little guy for injuries of his own.)
As it is, Peter murmurs out his agreement at Gamora's suggestion, and he connects with the Nova Corpsman in the area, offering coordinates, information, answering the questions put to him. Predictably, when the corpsmen arrive, the Guardians fuck off to one side (as always, and man, that's annoying), leaving Peter to deal with the officials. He goes through the same song and dance, repeating himself at least two more times before the officers seem satisfied. On the bright side, the Guardians get paid, Cryon gets hauled away in an ambulance, and the crates and crates and crates of incriminating evidence are carted off.
Finally, Peter is allowed to go, though one shy cadet stops him just as he's heading over to the others. She dithers and talks around it, but at length she asks the illustrious Star-Lord for an autograph. And who is Peter to deny her request when she asks so nicely? He signs what might actually be a citation book, and he sees her off with a wink and a grin.
At last, he heads over to his team, clapping his hands. ]
Look alive, Guardians. Time to head out.
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Today, however, she additionally appreciates the fact that Peter handles everything. That strange agitation hasn't started to sluff off yet, no matter how she tries to center herself, to focus in the midst of the controlled chaos of the bustling Corpsmen clearing out the area. It's never been this much of a challenge, but her skin heats and her heart beats just shy of too fast, and it seems to channel itself into— something she can't quite grasp.
It doesn't truly rear its head until her eyes fall on the blushing cadet who gets Peter's attention, and the way she smiles and coos over him makes Gamora's nerves fire with a rush of sensation and emotion that she doesn't entirely understand, but she knows it makes her want to yank Peter immediately out of the cadet's range and grab him by the—
She halts immediately on that wholly unprecedented line of thinking, startled by how volatile her reaction was. She's never more than mildly disgruntled by the way women (and men alike) fawn over Peter, how he indulges them in that altogether roguish and charming Star-Lord way, but... that was different.
And she has no idea what to make of it.
But with Peter ushering them off and out, it's back to the Milano to get off the Lorakian moon and return to the Quadrant.
Good. The sooner she can get her head on straight, the better.
Unfortunately, it's somehow that much harder to take her eyes off of Peter, to stop watching him all the way back to the ship. She doesn't realize she's doing it until she briefly catches his gaze, and then she simply turns her attention to the bulkhead instead, like she hadn't just been staring at him.
She simply needs to shower and decompress, she tells herself. To meditate and soothe wherever this mess is coming from.
... And yet, she's still staring when they dock the Milano and everyone else starts to go their separate ways. Rocket is carrying Groot off, grumbling something about assholes who pick on kids, and Drax offers to warm a bowl of soup for a still slightly distraught Mantis as he herds her away through the halls. ]
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Eventually their rowdiness dies down once they're aboard the Milano, and Peter slips into his customary seat at the helm. Peter feels his skin itching – that telltale sign that he's being watched. He stiffens a little, glancing around, and—
He catches Gamora's gaze, blinking at the way her eyes bore into him. His lips part to ask, "What's wrong?" but her gaze darts away. And, okay, probably not the best idea to call her out in front of the rest of the crew, so he lets it slide, trusting that if something was wrong, she'd come to him.
Hopefully, anyway.
They dock the ship in the Quadrant's hangar, and everyone files off in search of their own methods of decompressing.
Well, everyone but Gamora, who remains in her usual seat, and Peter lets out a breath, standing from his seat. ]
Hey.
[ Softly, trying not to startle her too badly out of whatever reverie she's caught in. ]
You alright?
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... I'm fine.
[ She forces a slow exhale, low and steady, before she pulls herself up from her seat. But that intense look is still in her eyes, her heart beating that much quicker in her chest as she stands so close to Peter, within arms' reach. ]
That just didn't go as planned.
[ When did anything ever, though?
Her fingers flex at her side, and she has to stop herself from taking a step closer to him, to stop from reaching out – because where did that urge come from? She wants to touch him, wants that contact they had back at the motel, though it's so sudden, accompanying something almost like a— headrush, Peter's called it.
She walks across the deck, then just halts with the slightest accompanying sway. ]
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Do they ever?
[ He rubs at his shoulder, feels the bruises settling along his back. It's not everyday that Peter gets tackled through a wall, and even if Cryon took the brunt of it, Peter knows he's going to be sore as hell come tomorrow.
When she steps closer to him, he frowns, notices the strange way she sways. That's— not really normal, he thinks. ]
... You sure you're alright?
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I said I'm fine.
[ She just needs to brush whatever this is off, clearly. It'll pass, and her system will normalize, like it always does.
So instead, she nods towards his shoulder, the way he rubs at it. ]
And you? That was a much more serious hit to take.
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At her question, it's his turn to shake his head. ]
Cryon absorbed most of the hit. I just went for a ride.
[ He lets his hand drop, head tilting to the ladder leading to the main deck. ]
We both could use some rest, I figure. We oughta head in.
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She nods, then heads for the ladder. Maybe it's her practiced balance that keeps her level as she climbs down from the ship, but this time, she doesn't waver or misstep, and she glances back at Peter evenly. ]
If you happen to have anything clean to wear, I'm going to borrow that.
[ ... And there she goes assuming she's headed straight for Peter's room. As usual.
She could stop by her own bunk, change as she always has been, but that's one more stop than she feels inclined to make with that still-present agitation and... fuzziness? Is that the best way to describe it? ]
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— Wait, what?
[ No, he heard what she said, even if he doesn’t understand it immediately. When it finally clicks, he blinks, breathes out a quiet, ]
Oh. Uh.
[ And his brain quickly short-circuits with the mental image of Gamora in one of his shirts.
They really need to talk about this. About them. And the reminder brushes away that blissful little cloud.
He clears his throat, climbing down after her. ]
You sure you don’t wanna stop off at your room first? [ Since that’s usually what she does. ]
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—her hands to be all over him—
She frowns at the suddenness of the impulse, and she shakes it away quickly. ]
No. [ Decisive, simple. ] Unless everything you own needs to be washed, but I trust you at least have one clean shirt.
[ And she's geared so much towards that decisiveness that she's already heading out of the docks towards Peter's quarters, expecting him to follow. ]
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What’s the rush?
[ On something of a laugh, if only to mask his unease. ]
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[ Is there a rush? No, not beyond that swimming in her head and the heat prickling at the back of her neck.
But she plucks at the shoulder of her shirt, covered in spots of blood and remaining rips from the shards of glass in those crates. ]
I just want to change out of this.
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As long as that’s all it is, and he keeps flipping back to those few seconds when she swayed slightly on her feet in the flight deck. An injury she’s hiding, maybe? An injury she doesn’t even know about? He’ll have to keep an eye on her. ]
... Alright. [ Still with that touch of doubt, even as he tries to conceal it. He figures Gamora would just get pissed at him if he admitted he didn’t quite believe her.
They pass by a few of the others on their way to Peter’s bunk – and Mantis and Drax give them strange looks as he and Gamora wander past. Something knowing, something even a little wistful, and Peter staunchly ignores them both. He’s glad, once they reach the safety of the captain’s quarters, and he lets Gamora enter first. It’s a mess, as it always is, but shockingly, he’s done laundry recently – though he hasn’t quite reached the point where he’s actually put his clothing away. The clean clothes still sit in a chaotic pile in the basket on one of the couches.
Peter shrugs out of his coat, still standing beside the door. Thanks to weeks of practice, Peter tosses his coat onto the back of one of the overstuffed seats. He’s in the middle of scrubbing dust out of his hair as he nods Gamora toward the laundry basket. ]
Help yourself, I guess.
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Fortunately, the captain's quarters aren't much farther than that. As usual, the messiness of Peter's room doesn't faze her – if only because he hasn't quite reached the point of too messy; she'd lived through the disaster that the Milano had become after housing them all in such enclosed space for so long.
She nods in vague acknowledgment as she heads over to his laundry. Picking through it doesn't take long, and she eventually ends up plucking out a black short-sleeved shirt, because it will do just as well as anything else. It's all going to be far too big for her, considering how broad Peter is, but it's undeniably better than the bloody, ripped thing she's still wearing.
Rubbing a hand briefly over her eyes (and definitely forgetting a "thank you"), she retreats to the private bathroom to change. She abandons her old shirt in favor of Peter's, and, as expected, it's huge on her, but the fabric feels soft and cool against her skin (because is she warmer than usual? No, surely not.). She looks at herself in the mirror for a moment, Peter's shirt hanging off of one of her shoulders. She tugs gently at the hem, fingers curling and uncurling in the material before she slips a hair tie from her pocket to secure her hair away from her face.
It's noticeably warmer in Peter's room than she remembers it being, and maybe she'll ask him to turn down the heat, but— instead, she's preoccupied with wandering back out to find him instead.
The temperature is far less of a concern.
She leaves the bathroom, at least getting as far as the doorframe before she just leans against it, looking out at Peter. ]
... Peter.
[ Her voice is a little quieter, but— ]
Come here.
[ Tentative, though not phrased as a question. ]
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He frowns, shaking his head, before tugging off his own shirt, tossing it away to join his dirty jacket. He plucks out a clean shirt from the basket, tugging it on; it’s a wrinkled mess, but at least it’s clean. He considers contacting one of the others, asking if they noticed anything off about Gamora while he was dealing with the Nova officials. Maybe someone else saw something, or maybe someone else can reassure him that he’s just imagining things, that he’s being his usual worrywart-self.
Peter’s just a twitch away from calling up Rocket, but he hears the door to the bathroom slide open. He glances over his shoulder, and—
Oh.
Yeah. Okay. Uh.
(That’s a mental image getting filed away for later.)
He blinks at her, and for a second, he almost doesn’t realize she’s called for him. Thankfully, her suggestion (order?) reminds him that words are a thing, and he licks his lips, taking only a step to close the space between them. ]
You alright?
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How many times will I have to tell you that I'm fine?
[ She's fine; everything is just... warm.
And it seems to... swim ever so slightly.
But whatever it is is clearly not concerning enough, because she's much more focused on him in that moment, and it's like she's completely forgotten about the conversation they need to have that's kept things... careful since after the motel and N'Calo. ]
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You don’t look fine.
[ Softly, worry naked in his voice. ]
Maybe we should get you to the infirmary. I mean, that was a pretty nasty fall you took back there. You might have a concussion or something.
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what the fuck i never got this notif....
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