Dating Troubles

Transcribed by ILoveQuill77

Beautiful. There are many things that are beautiful. And I have a weakness for them. Especially when those beautiful things are girls.

That's why I'm in this...mess...I'm in now. It all started that one night at the bar on Kymellia...

~FLASHBACK~

"Come on, guys! Just one stop?" I pleaded with my friends, the Guardians of the Galaxy. Yeah, I know them. Heck, I'm one of them!

"Peter, we have had this problem before. Every time you walk into a bar, you end up taking somebody-or somebodies-back to the ship. And this is our ship. Nobody else." Jeez. I can always count on Gamora to be no fun.

"Yeah, as much as I like drinking, it's...not good to bring somebody back with you. Even if it's just for a night, which not to mention is totally unfair to the girl!" Rocket put in.

"I am Groot!"

"You tell him, buddy!"

Apparently this was some sort of insult.

"Friend Quill, maybe you should lay off carousing tonight. It could stand to do you some good." Drax said to me.

"Just for an hour? And I won't bring anybody back? Pleease?" I gave them my best winning smile.

"Promise? No girls whatsoever?" Rocket said as he stuck out his hand.

I shook it. "Yes. Definitely."

The first thing I think when I walk into the bar is, I think I'm going to have to break my promise. There she is. Sitting in a booth. All alone. I think she needs some company. Time to turn on the charm. So I walk up to her and say, "What brings you here tonight?"

She smiles and turns around to face me. "Oh, I'm just bored. Why are you here?"

"For a break."

"I can understand that."

"Yeah. Sometimes you just need to get away from the world, you know?"

"Agreed. Or sometimes you need a little...excitement in your life." Her eyes glittered.

Was she flirting with me? No no no. This isn't right. I'm the flirty one. So I upped my game.

"I can give you some. Want a drink? On me?" I said, wiggling my eyebrows.

"Why not, mysterious stranger. Hey, haven't I seen you somewhere?"

Ohh no. NO! This is bad. Very bad. I quickly scanned the room. Sure enough, there it was. A wanted poster. Actually, make that two. No, three. I'm going to have to leave.

"Uh...I hate to do this, but I really should be going. Like, right now." I began to stand up.

"No! I don't mind! I'm looking for some excitement, remember?"

"So...you're not going to turn me in for a bounty?"

"Nah. I'd rather keep you for myself."

"Well, then...about that drink?"

We talked. For about, I dunno, an hour or so. I soon forgot about the rest of the Guardians, and focused on her.

Her name was America. That was her nickname. She wouldn't tell me her real name. She had strawberry blonde hair, with green tips that matched her green eyes perfectly. She had a petite stature, and...well, she was unlike any girl I had ever known.

The surprising thing about her was that she came from Terra. I asked how she had come out here, and she responded, "Ways." I guessed I would have to get to know her better before I could know that.

"So..." she said, sipping her martini. "How'd you get here, Star-Boy?"

Great. Another embarrassing nickname. "Oh, just the usual...kidnapped by some aliens." I took a sip of my beer.

I thought I saw a look of shock on her face, but whatever it was, it quickly passed.

"Huh..." she trailed off.

I hope I hadn't struck a nerve. "Yeah, weird, right?" I joked, trying to lighten the mood.

America looked like she was deep in thought. "Mmm...can I tell you something?"

Definitely... "You can tell me anything, baby!"

"Well...what were these aliens called?"

Weird question. "The Ravagers,"

America blanched. "I was...taken...by them too," she whispered.

Woah. I didn't know they took other Terrans. "Which ship?"

"Yondu's,"

Now it was my turn to be surprised. "What corridor?"

"B."

"Oh...I was in F. That's probably why we didn't see each other. How...when did you leave the ship?"

"Terran year? 2009. I only keep track of Terran time."

"Ah. I go by standard galactic. Um, another personal question, but I'm just curious, what year were you taken?"

"Terran year 2000."

"Oh. Wow...big time difference."

"Ha, yeah. I was born in 1995."

"So you'd be, what, 25?"

"Uh huh. How old are you?"

"Umm...35."

"Ohh...big age difference there."

I gulped. This was awkward. "Yeah. Awkward. But, as you see in space, age means nothing here. I mean, I once went out with a hundred year old Cremellion."

"Oh my god...why?"

"Um...information."

"So strictly business?"

I grimaced. That Cremellion had taken a very...disturbing interest in me. "On my part, yes."

America laughed. "I once had to seduce a Quazao. Not fun. Anything but."

"Holy... flarking why?!"

"Mission. Turns out he had a very dangerous weapon that Yondu wanted."

I frowned. "I still can't believe we never met. The odds of us, on the same ship, being the same species, never meeting, are incredibly slim..."

"I totally agree. Still, Yondu is a very smart man, so he probably had some plan to keep us separate."

"A shame. I have a feeling the two of us would be very good friends, if not more..." I said, my voice getting more flirtatious.

She grinned. "Are you using your seducing skills on me?"

"You betcha, baby,"

"You know...I like bad boys, so why don't we get out of here and do some badthings?" America's voice was more voluptuous, and she was leaning across the booth, and took my hand.

I felt my face getting red. Was she serious? "Are you serious? I mean, not that I'd object, but-"

"Eww! Of course I'm not serious!" She made a face. "I'm not doing anything yet. I barely know you!"

I felt very embarrassed. "Oh-yeah-definitely," I stammered.

"But I think we should get out of here. That guy over in the corner looks like he wants to kill that other guy. I'm not sure I want to be a part of a brawl, even though it would be kind of cool to get into a bar fight."

"Hmm. If that's what you desire, then let me make that dream come true." My mind was beginning to get fuzzy. I wondered if I had too much beer.

I stood up, and pointed to the various wanted signs across the bar. "YA SEE THAT? THAT'S ME! COME AT ME, BROS!" I spread my arms wide like a drunken maniac. Well, I am a drunken maniac, so screw that.

Almost everyone in the bar looked at me, the crazy drunk dude making some even crazier accusations. I gestured to some random dude sitting on a bar stool. "YO, GIRL, YA WNAT ME?" The person stood up. Oops. Looks like the girl was a guy.

He-she-whatever charged me. I dodged, and he crashed into a wall. Poor guy wasn't very coordinated. Probably drunk.

That got the attention of the other people. I turned to America. She stared at me, looking horrified. She gathered her things, and fled out the door.

"What-no! Wait! America!" But it was too late. She was already gone.

I slumped back into the booth that once held two people. I saw that America had left me to pay the bill. That was mean of her.

I payed, and walked out of the bar. America was nowhere in sight. Just great. But the Milano was. I figured it was time to end my night out.

But then I thought about her. America. What if she was attacked? I ouldn't help but go look for her.

She hadn't gone far. I saw her sitting on the ground, leaning against the side of the building, headphones clapped over her ears. Her eyes were squeezed shut, and she appeared to be mouthing words, maybe to a song.

"America...?" I softly said.

She looked at me fearfully. "Peter, just...go away. That was..."

"Cool? Amazing? Rad?"

She gave a slight smile. "No. More like terrifying."

"Listen, I wasn't myself back there. Actually, I was, cause I get like that a lot, but...I thought you said you wanted to get in a fight. I...just wanted to make you happy. I like you. A lot. And the things we found out about our past...that just makes me like you more. So...please forgive me?"

"I like you too, Peter. Just not the way you were back in there. I mean, I know I said I was looking for excitement, but not...not, well, danger."

"Aw, come on, that guy never would have hit me in a million years!"

America took a deep breath. "Maybe so, but if you hadn't dodged at the right time, who knows...I think I gave you the wrong impression. The me you saw? That was more the fake me. I was using my seducing skills on you. I...was actually lying to you the whole time."

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