This was in the form of an RP that KraglinObfonteri and I did.
The Ravager walked through the dingy bar in one of the slums as he desperately looked for a familiar face. Finally spotting the one he was looking for in the corner booth he quickly made his way over.
-Hey, Pete... Ah need…Ah need to talk to ya...- Siad Kraglin as came up to the man. He leaned onto the table heavily, one of the hands keeping the large coat closed over the front of his body.
Peter choked a bit on his beer and looked up. He had not been expecting to see any of his old crew so soon after the last time.
-Oh, hey Kraglin! What are you doing in a Xantarion Bar?- Asked the man as he scooted over, making some space for the other.
-We're 'ere on business. And Ah knew Ah'd find ya at some bar. So Ah tried everyone till Ah found ya… - Answered Kraglin a bit hesitantly. He'd been on his feet all day, and wasn't feeling all that well by that point.
Peter smiled. This was the one Ravager he never really minded seeing. Kraglin was annoying but also very good to him as a kid.
-Its great to see you again! How's Yondu doing? He's not giving you any crap is he? And why did you look for me so much? - Asked the Terran.
Kraglin seemed to visibly flinch a bit and took some time to answer.
-Ah'd… Ah'd rather talk to ya alone….in private…please?- Pleaded the older man.
-Y-yeah, sure come on, we can go to the park. Its nearby, real nice and quiet, saw it when we were looking for a place to have Groot sunbathe in for a while. - Peter stumbled over his answer as he finally took in the disheveled figure. Now he'd seen the Second in Command in various states from extremely happy to very very tired and sad, but never like this. Never has he seen the bone-deep exhaustion that seemed to take over his whole façade.
Kraglin nodded his head in agreement and managed to produce a weak smile.
- Okay, thanks.-
As Quill led them to the little alcove of green in the midst of the slums he couldn't help but sneak a few glances towards his companion.
- Alright, now you just sit down, nice and tight. What's got you looking so pale and shaky? Yondu in a mood again? Or did ya lose Astro again?- He tried to lighted the mood.
The Xandarian just shook his head.
- No, Astro's safe. Everythin's fine-. - He seemed to freeze for a bit, befoe blotches of red made themselves visible on his face and neck. - No! Dat's a lie! Everythin' is not fine! It's 'orrible!-
Peter almost jumped at the sudden outburst and could only pat at the hanв nearest to him in a weak attempt to calm the older man down.
- O-oh… Kraglin… Pops, come, what is it? I ain't ever seen you like this!- Exclaimed Quill, resorting to the childish way he used to call the Ravager.
-W-Well….ya know h-how my species i-is different den most are? - Asked Kraglin trying to bring Peter to guess the answer to his problem without outright saying it.
Peter could only cringe. Stars did he ever.
-Yeah, I remember you telling 'bout that. The day you told all about sex and stuff. But what's that got to do with anything?
-Oh stars that was one o' dе most uncomfortable days how my life…- Agreed Obfonteri as he recalled sitting little Quill down to explain to him that no, babies did not come from the synthesizer. - W-Well…. it seems that…. dat Ah'm… pregnant…- Breathed out the man.
Hearing his essentially father tell him something like that made Peter's head feel very hot and heavy, in an extremely short amount of time.
-Wh-haaa? Oh. Oh! Oww, my head's hurting from this… Its ok, everything's ok… Get yourself together Pete. - Tried to convince himself Peter. - Pops! Are you alright with it? Are you healthy? Is he? She? Zir? They ok as well? - Now that the idea was in his head, he couldn't get rid of it that quickly, and just chose to believe his Pops. If he said he was pregnant, fine. Peter was ok with that. But he was worried now.
Kraglin laughed nervously as he watched the Terran absord the information and spit out his questions.
-Ah … Ah guess Ah'm 'ealthy… Ah hope she's…'e's…the baby's okay… Ah'm alright with it…. Ah'm jus' nervous… - And he was. Stars he couldn't remember the last time he was so scared.
Peter exhaled as he calmed down.
-Well that's ok! That's normal, from what I hear at least. Besides, look at it this way: I'm gonna be a big brother! Always wanted to be one. - Excitedly said the younger man as he imagined the little sibling he'd get to have. Granted at his age most people already had a kid of their own, but he never claimed to be the most grown up Terran.
Kraglin, while happy at his "son's" enthusiasm was not as relaxed.
-But Ah'm going to be a mother! Does it look like Ah know 'ow to be a mother?! Ah'm a Ravager fo' star's sake!
Peter just shrugged. His Pops was healthy, he wasn't in pain. Everything else he didn't care about as much.
-Well I don't know about technicalities, but you raised me! And I turned out just fine, I think. Awesome even. - Preened the man. - You definitely did a whole lot more "mothering" then Yondu, which would 've been weird if he did, mind ya. - He shuddered at the thought of the blue skinned man helping him take a tubby. - You sat with me when I was sick, answered most of my question, unless they were dumb, taught me to fly. I don't know what more you can ask, really.
-Ya did turn out very awesome, Pete. -Agreed Kraglin. - But Ah didn't give birth to ya! Ah'm a guy! De Ravagers won't understan'! Ya're the only one Ah told... - Finished the Xandarian quietly
Peter honestly could not comprehend the other's fears.
-What do you mean they won't understand!? We have the most diverse crew in the whole galaxy, and I still don't even know the gender description of at least a third of them! - He shuddered a bit remembering the childish mistakes he used to make in identifying one or another member of the crew. -No one will care that you're "male" by Xandarian standards, I'm sure of it. Hell, you remember when the navigator laid an egg? We still aren't sure what zir is really… Never mind that hatchling… - It did turn out adorable though, and left the ship measly 4 years after being hatched. - So as happy and stoked as I am that you told me, I KNOW that the others will support you! And those who don't Yondu will throw out the airlock. You know he will too. - Smiled Peter as he imagined the reaction of the enraged Captain.
Kraglin wasn't so sure.
-What if Yondu freaks out!? What if 'e, like, 'ates me? What if 'e doesn't want 'er?! 'E barely wanted you! What if 'e makes me leave? Or worse wants me to get ride of 'er?! Stars, Ah could nev'er do dat!- He trembled at the thought. He couldn't, wouldn't choose. This was his first child growing there. So even if his lover was not happy how could he choose?
The Terran could only frown at the words coming out of the other's mouth. He knew his former Captain was a jerk, but if there was ever a person he loved, he was sitting all mopey in front of him.
-Well if he freaks out I'll throw him out the airlock, don't you doubt that. And why wouldn't he want her? He loves you, wouldn't have done all the things he had for you if he hadn't. And if his old head rusted over enough to make you leave, you comm me, the guys and I will come in a half-parsel and get you. You're my pops, that there's my new baby sister, and we aint about to leave you alone, no matter what. Groot will be extatic over all the flower crowns he'll get to make. Drax will probably cry. Gamora will be awkward as heck, but she'll never turn you away. Anв I bet my Walkman that Rocket will grumble, but steal every damn pacifier in the Universe till he finds the perfect one for her. So don't cry Pops. We all love you. - Finished Peter his speech, as he softly pulled Kraglin into a hug.
The Second in Command leaned into the warm embrace. It has been too long since he's hugged this kid.
-The Ravagers 'ave always been my home, Pete, but if Ah have to leave then Ah'm glad it will be with yo' bunch of losers. So….how should Ah tell Yondu? He might be happy. How do ya think 'e'll react? Ah don't think there ever has been a Centuarian-Xanderian hybrid before. - Thoughts of his own heritage buggered him enough without the thought of adding to them.
-Well, according to Nova Prime there's never a Whatever-I-Am-Terran hybrid either, but I'm alive, right? I mean I'm not sure I'm like other Terrans, but other then that I'm pretty handsome. - Peter broadened his shoulders, and got off the bench in a flash, doing a quick pose. Sitting back down, he slugged an arm around Kraglin. -And as much as it pains me to say, you and Yondu aint half bad looking yourselves. And as for telling him? I say just come out and tell him. We both know the guy hates bullshit when its not coming from him. And I think he'd appreciate the directness really. It'll shock him into adrenaline-addled decisions, and he's good at those. Always has been. - He remembered plenty occasions where the best decisions that came out of the Captain's mind were performed during a raid or battle of some sort.
-Ah guess you're right. - Agreed the older one. - Ah just hope that the kid will like us. And dat we can give 'er a better life then what Ah had growing up.
-Yondu's got the sense of humor of a hyena and you can't spend a day without practicing your "dancing". The ship is full of awesome places and nooks that I'll be showing off to the kid, and the Ravagers always protect their own. She's gonna have a big crazy family. - Countered Quill.
Kraglin pondered for a bit. So far the decision to talk to Quill was turning out to be the best one he had in a while.
-Ah wonder what we should call 'er? Ah mean Ah don't know if it's a girl or not, but Ah just feel like it's a girl. It's strange.
-Hey, you say its a girl, that's who it is. What name do you like?- Asked Peter as he tried to remember Xandarian names he knew. Mexxa, Adora and Reid did not sound too pretty to his ear.
-Well, Ah love the name Diane, but Ah was also thinking Meredith.- Shyly said Kraglin as he looked at the astonished face of his bench partner.
For a moment it seemed like all the air suddenly left his lungs as Peter tried to breath.
-Y-you… how do you know that name? I aint ever told it to anyone … - Not when he was conscious at least. - But I like Diane, it sounds good. - Agreed the man, trying to veer off the subject.
-Ah know everythin', Peter, ne'er forget dat, - Said Kraglin with the authority of a seasoned parent. - But ya use t' mumble in yo sleep, ya probably still do. So Diane Meredith Udonta/Obfonteri it is.
Peter laughed at that.
-Stars! Imagine her first day of school, she's gonna learn to spell real early just to be able to sign her name
Obfentori frowned .
-School? Peter, do you honestly think Yondu would want to take her to a school? No, he'll want to teach her his way. The poor child.- He shook his head imagining a little girl running all over the ship and then smiled.
-Meh, we'll just kidnap you two when she's 6 and send her to that school that Corpsman Dey's kid goes to. I heard its great, Drax was gushing all about it. Seriously. He had charts. - Peter remembered that day. Drax sat the Guardians down and gushed about the wonders of education on Xandar for about 2 hours without even giving a clear explanation as to why in the world he was doing that.
-Charts? - Startled Kraglin. - Um…alright.
-They're good charts too, - Nodded Peter. - I'm pretty sure I learned more from them in 2 hours them from me Elementary school in 2 years.
