You're Still Young (That's Your Fault)
"I have a surprise for you, little one."
Gamora stood up on instinct and bowed her head as Thanos entered. "You're too kind, Father."
"This…" Thanos stepped aside, revealing a little girl with ratty black hair and a strange purple stripe across the middle of her face. She couldn't have been older than eight, and she still sucked her thumb. "Is Nebula. Your new training partner. I trust that you two will become valuable assets in our family's mission."
"Father, we will not fail you." Gamora stated as she kneeled, glancing at Nebula expectantly. The younger girl remained frozen and stared at her in terrified confusion. Thanos placed his hand roughly on Nebula's back and forced her onto her knees. She yelped, causing Gamora to wince, but she kept her eyes glued to the floor.
"You will give respect where respect is due, my child." He warned.
"Yes…Father." Nebula whimpered.
That night, Gamora was awoken by the sound of whispering in the hallway.
"She clearly won't last a day as part of the Black Order. What do you suggest we do with her?" Said Proxima Midnight.
"I'd say throwing her out in space would be an act of mercy." Droned Ebony Maw. "Father would hardly notice that she's missing."
Gamora dragged herself out of bed and crept towards her siblings, holding her double-edged switch blade. She could hear muffled grunts and the sound of feet scuffing on the floor. As she peeked around the corner, she saw Corvus Glaive holding Nebula by the neck, inches off the ground, like a mangy kitten.
"Leave her alone, all of you." Gamora called, stepping out from behind her corner and pointing her blade at Corvus.
"What do you care, runt?" Proxima scoffed, rolling her eyes and placing her hand on her hip.
"She's my training partner. Father won't be pleased to have her missing. And when he comes to me demanding answers, I'll tell him what you all did. I might even cry."
The Black Order looked amongst themselves uncomfortably. As much as they hated to admit it, Gamora was Thanos's darling. Her tears were the easiest way to sway the Mad Titan, and they all knew it. Corvus released Nebula, her small body making a dull thud as it hit the ground. The bullies gave one last glare at Gamora before stalking away.
Gamora rushed over to Nebula, placing a cautious hand on her shoulder. She breathed a sigh of relief when the younger girl sat herself up and began to cough.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes." Answered Nebula, sticking her thumb in her mouth. "Thank you…for coming after me."
"You're welcome." Gamora responded with a small smile. "Why don't you sleep in my quarters? Those idiots will leave you alone as long as I'm around."
And for the first time, Gamora saw her little sister smile. "I'd like that."
A few weeks later, Thanos decided that Nebula had grown strong enough to have her first fight with Gamora. As the sisters walked together toward's Thanos's chair, Nebula grabbed her hand.
"Gamora, I'm nervous."
"You'll be fine, sister." She answered lightly, taking one of Nebula's braided pigtails and twirling it around her finger playfully. "I'll go easy on you."
The two approached Thanos's chair, and kneeled before him. The Titan smiled, pleased that his newest addition had learned obedience so quickly.
"You both know the rules. The first person to have the other on the ground wins. The other will face the consequences."
"We are ready, Father." Said Gamora, Nebula quickly echoing her.
The sisters stood up and faced each other, exactly five feet apart. Thanos leaned down and whispered to Gamora,
"I'll be rooting for you, little one."
Gamora looked at her father and smiled proudly, though it all but vanished when she looked back and saw Nebula's hurt expression.
"Begin."
The fight ended with Gamora slamming Nebula to the ground by her left arm. The next day, when she passed Nebula in the corridors of the spacecraft, she noticed her bionic arm.
Five years later, Gamora and Nebula were waking away from their most recent fight, Nebula displaying an impressive and painful-looking shiner on her left eye.
"What the hell, Gamora?!" Nebula hissed. "You're many things, but I never expected you to fight dirty."
"I already said I was sorry. But it's for your own good. This fighting is supposed to help us, and enemies aren't going to go easy on you like I do."
"Do you even know what happens when I lose a fight?"
"Father builds you a bionic part to make you stronger."
"No. He tears me apart, and replaces my weak links with cold, unfeeling machinery."
A troubled expression scanned across the older sister's face, but she quickly suppressed it.
"It's nothing personal. Father would do the same thing to me if I lost."
"Somehow, I don't think he would."
"And what is that supposed to mean?"
"Why don't we find out? Let me win, just once, and we can finally call him out on choosing favorites." Nebula pleaded.
"You're being ridiculous. And besides, I can't do that. I'm on thin enough ice as it is. If you want to win, you need to win fair, and stop expecting me to save your skin for once."
Nebula froze in her tracks, and glared heartbrokenly at her sister before turning around and heading the opposite direction.
"Where are you going?" Gamora called, tears flooding her eyes.
"Saving my own damn skin, and sleeping in my own quarters." Nebula growled as she stormed away.
Gamora stood alone in the middle of the hall, choking back sobs as she watched her beloved sister grow smaller and smaller, until she disappeared behind the slamming of a door.