They were celebrating the pairing of Quill and Gamora. Peter called it an 'engagement party'. Turns out Terran marriage rites were pretty frickin' archaic; Zen-Whoberi marriage rites were non-existent along with 99.99% of the Zen-Whoberis themselves. It was gonna be an interesting wedding. Still, Rocket figured the two had plenty of time to figure the details out. They weren't planning on taking that next step anytime soon.
Returning from the bar (open bar, thank you Starlord), Rocket hopped up onto his chair, then after a second's hesitation hopped up onto the table as well. The meal was over and most people were making the rounds with their drinks in their hands. He doubted anyone was gonna complain about fur on the tablecloth at this point. Besides, he thought as he plopped down on the table near Mantis, the view was better from here.
Even if the view was a revoltingly starry-eyed couple, slowly swaying around what passed for a dance floor. The music was low and slow, but over the din of conversation everywhere he couldn't tell if the ballad was familiar, one of Peter's. He doubted that it would have mattered to the now-publicly-acknowledged couple. Their bodies were pressed together like they were gonna melt into each other, their foreheads resting against each other. Quill had one arm slung around Gamora's waist, the other clasped her hand close to his chest. Occasionally he lifted it to kiss the back of her fingers. Gross. Sweet, but gross.
Rocket looked at his companion. Mantis was taking everything in with those wide, dark eyes of hers shining like stars. Reflecting the little 'fireflies' Groot in his joy had been releasing all night. She smiled as she watched the happy couple dance. When she spotted Drax, standing still as a freakin' statue on the dance floor, she laughed. He'd been dragged from the table by a drunk Ravager gal who didn't seem to mind in the least that he didn't dance. As the crazy lady bopped and shimmied all around him with little regard to the rhythm or beat of the music Drax was smiling slightly. Which Rocket took as a sign the big man was having a great time.
Mantis appeared to be having a great time as well. She smiled happily (and naturally), swaying gently to the music as she sat in her chair, hands folded in her lap. The smile widened when she caught Rocket's eye and he couldn't help but return it. She hummed quietly as she turned back to watching the rowdy party around the dance floor.
Mantis loved dancing. She loved music, especially when Peter played it over the ship's systems. She liked to press herself against the speakers so she could feel the sound vibrations move through her. They were like feelings anyone could feel, without needing powers like hers. Slow music was best for dancing though. She could sweep her limbs, bend and dip and sway, imagining she was graceful and beautiful.
But Rocket did not care for dancing and she did not want to leave him alone. Mantis knew dancing made him uncomfortable. It was hard to do properly when she was so much taller than him. It reminded him too much of his differences (reminded him that he's a freak, he would have said), and Mantis wouldn't ask that of him simply for a few moments of her happiness.
She was perfectly happy to wait and dance later with their friends. Groot would enjoy dancing with her. Mantis almost laughed again when she had a mental of her and Groot, hands and vines entwined in a circle as they danced, a motionless Drax in the middle. And certainly Peter would claim her for a dance or two, once he manage to pry himself away from Gamora. She glanced at the amorous pair again. That could be a long time, by the looks of it.
There was a huff beside her.
"That ain't ever gonna be us, ladybug." Rocket tacked on the affectionate nickname when his words came out harsher than he intended. When she looked at him, he wasn't smiling anymore. Or meeting her eye.
"Just.. I don't know, don't get your hopes us this is gonna happen to us too, okay? I ain't gonna make a spectacle of myself like those moon-eyed morons." he groused.
Mantis waited for him to explain. Rocket used names both to insult his enemies and show affection to his friends. She knew him well enough by now to know how he meant the words this time without having to ask. Was there something wrong with the relationship Peter and Gamora had just affirmed?
"I mean, uh," Rocket backpedaled hastily, imagining he saw a lot more in her passive expression, cheeks heating slightly beneath his fur. 'that's not to say I don't, that i wouldn't want to… i mean, with you…" he took a breath, trying to kill the babbling "i don't like this kinda fuss is what i'm saying."
"You do not wish to dance in front of all our friends, or have speeches made over you." Mantis said simply, because it was a simple fact
"I am very happy for our friends." She continued, ducking her head until she caught his eye and held his gaze. "They are very happy to celebrate the bonds they have made with each other. I am also happy about the bonds we have made, Rocket. They are worth celebrating as well."
Well, that was true, Rocket admitted. I mean, who woulda ever thought? At first he couldn't stand the idea of her touching him. And she thought he was some dumb dog! But here they were, sitting together at a wedding ('engagement party', whatever), by now acknowledged as each other's preferred companion (though no one voiced that aloud around Groot, so as not to hurt the tree's feelings). He helped her navigate her naiveté of the greater galaxy. She helped him navigate the big ol' mess of emotional baggage he'd carried with him every day since Halfworld. They had become each other's support system and at that thought Rocket couldn't remember why he was insisting they would never be standing in Quill and Gamora's place.
But Rocket felt so damned inadequate sometimes, like he wasn't enough for her. He was the opposite of the romantic type. That lovey-dovey crap Quill was so crazy about seemed corny as hell to him. He knew it was because he hadn't exactly had a lot of love in his life, but he couldn't just force the sappiness to feel natural to him. Which he didn't mind except Mantis deserved that kinda thing. She hadn't had it either and she was so good at heart that if any woman deserved to be wooed and romanced, showered with gifts and plied with fine foods, it was her. Even though none of that stuff was him, he sometimes kinda wished it was just so he could give her all that romantic attention chicks that she'd ever ask for that stuff, or anything that he wouldnt be comfortable with. But that somehow just made him feel like she deserved it even more.
"But Peter and Gamora are not us." Mantis broke into his thoughts with quiet insistence. "They do not communicate as we do. Gamora cannot sense Peter's emotions to know what he feels for her, and she cannot transfer her emotions to him so he can know what she feels for him. Instead they must make statements and give each other symbols to show their love."
Mantis squeezed his hand gently, letting him feel the touch of her sincerity, the feeling of her contentment with him. (She hadn't read his emotions yet. He didn't like to be read when he was feeling anything he might consider embarrassing.)
"Rocket, I do not need a party with dancing and speeches to know your feelings. I can feel your commitment to being there for me, with me." She smiled at him, patting his hand before sitting back with her hands clasped demurely on the table before her.
The new song playing was pleasant, with a beat that made her feet tap. She spotted Groot weaving his way through the crowd moving to the music. She was considering excusing herself to dance when his hand settled on top of hers.
The motion was purposeful, direct and determined; she knew what it meant. Her antennae glowed briefly as he allowed her to read him for a long moment. When he pulled away, her hand quickly cooled without his body heat, but inside she would be warm for hours from the strength of the emotion he had shared. It filled her until she felt it must surely shine out of her skin, making her glow like her antennae. She did not glow, but she smiled as wide as her facial structure would allow because she was filled
with his love.