riverview: ic contact;

[nostalgiabomb]

You've reached the voicemail of Star-Lord. Hit me with your best shot. Or— crap, wait, I should've quoted "Call Me" instead. Aw, dammit. Is it too late to— [ BEEP ] [ text | video | voice | action ] gif credit

USERNAME star.lord RESIDENCE community housing: floor 13, room 4 OCCUPATION perimeter guard: surveyor / salvage & repair specialist

Comments

[godslay]

Better lost than destroyed.

[ At least, in her opinion.

Though maybe there's the uncertainty associated with losing it that isn't desirable. ]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ Peter hardly looks certain of that, either, if the slight narrowing of his eyes is anything to go by. His voice is a little more solemn when he speaks. ]

I mean, it’d be gone for him, either way. If that me is anything like me-me, it’d feel about the same.

[ At last he looks down at his Walkman and hooks it to his belt, turning his attention to the gift with its familiar blue ribbon, the slightly yellowed, wrinkled envelope slipped into the loop beneath the box. He knows it’s light – it’s always been light – but it’s always felt heavy to him, laden with history and regret and guilt. His gaze moves over the wrinkled, worn, colorful dots on the paper.

He knows what’s inside – or at least, he thinks he knows what’s inside. If it fell out of the portal, who the hell knows what’s in here? But with everything that happened back home, with the way the shit with his father had soured things, he’s not sure if he wants to peel off the giftwrap to reveal the second of Mom’s mix tapes.

Decision made, he exhales quietly, offering Gamora a small, tight-lipped smile. He lets his hand drop, still holding onto the gift – untouched and unopened, as it had been months ago. If it stays unopened, if it stays as he remembers it, then he can almost pretend none of that shit happened, right?

(He may be falling back on old bad habits.) ]

Thanks. For giving me these.

[godslay]

[ She inclines her head in a short nod, willing to concede that Peter's probably right. Given how he'd panicked when he'd lost his memory and had no idea what had happened to his Walkman... she can't imagine how much worse it might have been if he was tearing through his things with no idea where it might have gone.

She watches him clip the device to his belt with a faint smile (there's something relieving about seeing it there again), but she wonders what will become of the little gift.

Apparently, nothing tonight.

She meets his gaze, taking a short step back as she breaks contact. ]

Of course. You should have them.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ It’s only when she moves back that he realizes just how close they were, practically breathing the same air, and he frowns a little, silent.

—And belatedly, he sort of realizes he had kind of sort of bear hugged the hell out of her, even if Peter isn’t a huggy sort of person, and an awkward flash of realization crosses his face. Gamora tends to be a little protective of her personal space, and he offers a small, apologetic look. ]

Sorry about, uh. [ He gestures vaguely. ] That. Earlier.

[godslay]

[ Gamora looks somewhat confused at first (like she's not sure what he's apologizing for), and then realizes he means the hug.

She shrugs, brushing it off. ]

It's fine. It didn't bother me.

[ She's the one who just reaches out and grabs his hands sometimes.

... But she doesn't do hugging, really. ]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ The gesture strikes him as familiar for a second, though he can't quite place it. After a second, he brushes it off, and huffs out a laugh. ]

Yeah, alright.

Thanks for not, you know, karate chopping my throat for it.

[godslay]

A hug probably won't earn that.

[ Unless Gamora really, really didn't want to be touched at the exact moment he went in for one.

Or maybe if he surprised her especially badly.

Or maybe if he deserved it. Who knows. ]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ Sometimes, Peter has surreal moments where he recognizes just how strange their conversations are, and this is one of those moments.

So instead of insisting that getting punched in the neck isn't a typical response to being surprised by a hug, he just shakes his head, a little amused.

He should get cleaned up; he should take care of the scrapes and cuts on his hands and forehead. He should do a lot of things, but that can come later. He pulls the headphones connector out of the Walkman’s socket and nods toward the bedroom. ]

Come listen to this with me.

[ There’s a small speaker on his nightstand with his Walkman’s name on it. ]

[godslay]

[ There's a moment where Gamora blinks at him, her head cocked as she considers the offer, and she realizes... it's been a while since she's listened to these particular songs.

The corner of her lips lifts (something small and private, one of those little smiles she so often reserves for Peter), and then she nods. ]

I have the time.

[ And even if she didn't, she'd probably make it for him.

With Peter's directing, she heads into their bedroom to take a seat on Peter's bed – not paying much mind to the mess of blankets – and draws up her legs to make herself comfortable. ]