"Do I gotta wear this?" Rocket wrinkled his snout, scratching the back of his head underneath the child sized yarmulke precariously pinned to his fur.
"Quit yer complaining," Ben groused, adjusting his own (less secure) yarmulke to his rocky skull. "It's tradition."
"Yeah," Kitty smirked a little, setting down the bronzed menorah she had collected from Earth on their last visit there on the table in the ship's makeshift kitchen area. "Just be glad it's not a Spider-Man one."
Ben snorted. "Yea, that guy's a real schmuck!"
Kitty and Ben laughed at what appeared to be an inside joke shared just between the two of them as Flash walked into the room with a quart of oil. "Hey! You guys be nice to Spidey! He's had it rough." His voiced cracked a little defensively.
"Yah, Paper Bag-man is a real national treasure." Ben said as Flash rolled his eyes, setting the cooking oil down next to the stove top. "Oh, goodie, time for latkes!" He clapped his bouldery hands together and shot Kitty and sly, sardonic grin. "Wanna help, Kit?"
"Help with what?" Peter interrupted, strolling in, awkwardly trying to pull of his Presidential jacket and unbutton his collared shirt before Rocket or Groot could make any wisecracks.
"Peter should help you, Ben. My dad always did the Hanukkah cooking, anyway. Something about me and hot oil." She snorted a little, skittering out of the room.
"Is she avoiding m-?" Peter was cut off before he could continue being insecure in Ben's direction.
"We have grated the tubers." Gamora announced to no one in particular. Drax dropped a large bowl full of grated, dried potatoes down next to Peter, causing him to jump slightly.
"Do not be afraid, Quill, they are but vegetables, and not even poisonous ones at that. A real shame." Drax's disappointment was sincere.
"I am Groot!" Groot had entered the room surprisingly silently after Peter, and positioned himself a little defensively against Drax.
"Nah, man," Rocket argued, "taters aren't like you. Don't you eat vegetation anyway?"
"I am Groot..."
"Fear not, friend Groot, we would never eat you." Drax nodded sagely. "Though I doubt you are poisonous."
"I would disagree." Gamora settled herself on the lumpy couch adjacent to the kitchen, as Ben shoved the large bowl of grated potatoes to Peter.
"Add flour, salt, and eggs, pretty boy."
"H-how mu-?" Ben interrupted Peter's question, pointing to the holographic recipe that was pulled up next to the sink. "Oh," Peter sighed. "Got it."
Peter got to work mixing the goop together with his hands (per Ben's demands), and was starting to get into it, the warmth of the ship, the chatter of his friends, the feeling of no responsibilities for once, when someone poked him pointedly in the center of his back.
He jumped a little, surprised again, and turned around to see Kitty with a beautiful scarf, deep blues and purples, with the hint of stardust sparkles, wrapped around her head.
She smiled bashfully. "Sorry, had to call my mom."
"Oh," he smiled. "That's ok. I get it. You should." He berated himself internally for rambling on.
"So, Ben and I...I mean, adults don't usually do Chanukkah presents, but..."
Peter frowned and slapped his forehead. "Kitty, I didn't get you anything. Sweetie, I'm so-"
She held her fingers to his lips, silencing him. "Shh, I haven't gotten a Chanukkah present probably since Kurt gave me my Star of David necklace when I was...well, significantly younger. I don't need any presents from you.
"Anyway, the biggest present of all is everyone being here. Tonight. To celebrate." Kitty's eyes misted. "I've never been able to truly celebrate Chanukkah with some many people, not since I was a kid. This is the best gift anyone could ever give me. Even more family. More than I know what to do with."
Peter pulled her into a tight embrace, nesting his head in her hair and planting small kisses on the top of her head.
After a few moments, she pushed him away gently, not wanting to phase out of the embrace. She cleared her throat, giving him a teasing angry look, "What I was trying to say was...I have a present for you."
Kitty pulled out a small, plain box, with a simple white ribbon tied around it.
Peter took it, unsure what to do or say.
"Open it, dumbass." Kitty smiled affectionately at him.
He unwrapped the ribbon and lifted the lid of the box to find a yarmulke, red with small blue-outlined gold stars embroidered on it. He lifted the cap up and examined it further. It was handmade."
Kitty blushed a little sheepishly. "I made it for you." She shrugged a little. "I mean, you don't really need one, but..."
"Kitty..." he looked at her and quickly wrapped an arm tightly around her shoulders. "I love it. I love you. Thank you."
She grinned and buried herself back into their former hug. She mumbled something into his chest along the lines of "I love you, too, honey."
Kitty carefully pinned the yarmulke on the back of Peter's head. He sat patiently in the chair, and when she was done, he turned and pulled her to him, nuzzling her stomach. Kitty petted his hair tenderly, feeling warmly satisfied, with the small miracle of love surrounding her.
Ben gathered the group around the menorah, lighting the shamus candle before speaking in his gravelly voice:
"Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam asher kidishanu b'mitz'votav v'tzivanu l'had'lik near shel Chanukah."
"Amein." Kitty said breathlessly, and Peter and Flash quickly repeated it after her. Gamora watched on, silently, with interested eyes, while Rocket rested on Groot's head, imagining he was the great tree's furry yarmulke. Drax smiled a rare smile; something about this moment reminded him of home.
Ben began lighting the candles, reciting a second prayer as the Guardians watched in reverence.
After the prayers, Ben set down a heaping plate of latkes, and a large bowl of gelt. "Alright, who wants to get schooled in a game o' dreidel?"
Everyone gathered around the table, as Ben exclaimed, "with Yancy Street rules, of course!"