Hi all, this is the next chapter, and a bit of world and character building with my OC Alezduren, and everything does have meaning later on, he's a bit of an enigma is my hybrid!

The Signs that Yondu Cares

Walking to Oblivion

Chapter Four

Kraglin Obfonteri, after taking a walk to clear his head, went back to the Brothel and glanced at the upstairs window, where Peter was. He had an overwhelming urge to defy Yondu and run up there but remained where he was. It was too late to do anything about it.

Outside the building, Alezduren was sitting on one on of the steps tapping into his pad, and taking a swig from a bottle of beer. There was a second bottle next to it which Alezduren passed wordlessly to Kraglin who sat down next to him.

"He'll be done in a few minutes" Alezduren advised him "From the moment he's out, I suggest we get the hell out of here. By the way, I take it talking to Yondu didn't work".

Kraglin just exhaled and took a swig "Of course it fucking didn't. You know I always imagined him meeting a nice girl, like in all those Terran films we watched. Not like this".

"Looking back, this is worse than when I lost my virginity" Alezduren muttered almost to himself which caused Kraglin to raise an eyebrow. Shit, he'd had a rough night, so this had better be good.

"So how did that happen?"

Alezduren signed, "There was a newbie prostitute called Airiax, and she wanted some experience. I was fifteen, she was twenty. I mean the sex was pretty good, well it wasn't because I was so shit. It lasted for ten minutes, but afterwards, I was still hard, so she decided to give me a blowjob. Good experience and all that."

"Naturally", said Kraglin, internally laughing already.

"So, she's going at it, I'm about to come, and my mother walked in. Airiax jumps, bites down on my cock, and I'm screaming on the floor in agony.

Kraglin willed himself to be impassive, but the thought of it made him roar with laughter, "So what was your mum's reaction?"

"She laughed her ass off and got a first aid kid, while I'm bleeding from a cock bite, and Airiax is apologising. I forgave her, she still works with my mum, but I never screwed her again."

"Justified, that's tragic Az, too fucking tragic" Kraglin brushed the tears of laughter from his eyes, God it felt good to laugh about something.

It was a moment of humour that both men enjoyed, to distract from the seriousness of all this, and it was a sobering thought.

"Peter will be done soon, look do me a favour and distract everyone would ya, I need to sort some shit out" requested Alezduren while Kraglin just shrugged. "Yeah, no problem".

One floor up embraced in Catlea's arms Peter knew only the softness of the room and the feeling of Catlea's hand brushing through his hair. He was unsure if Ravagers had an afterlife, Yondu was vague in detail, but this was Heaven, this was everything.

That soft sweet scent of the woman who was calling him "Star Lord", and making him feel safe and warm. He never wanted it to end, breaking out of his moment when he heard a little alarm, and adjusted his body.

"A few more minutes' baby, just a few more", Catlea whispered, who wished she could do this forever for the poor boy who looked so frail and young. "Thank you", Peter whispered in response, just trying to hold onto this moment, this feeling of safety.

Catlea gave him ten more minutes, just ten more. Any longer than that would arise suspicion, but she hated herself for doing it.

"Peter, Peter", she whispered nudging him gently. "You have to get up now."

For Peter the moment he opened his eyes, it was like a spell which was broken. He wasn't on Terra with his mom, he was on Contraxia which a sweet, beautiful woman, who had protected him. But it was still a harsh reality, which he couldn't escape from no matter how much he tried.

Gingerly he opened his eyes, and let the bubble burst while Catlea moved her body from him and got to her feet leaving Peter on the bed.

Quickly, she stripped off her clothes to transform herself back into the woman she was when Peter walked in. "In case your Captain comes in" she explained to Peter, who was just staring silently.

Her heart went out to him. Five years as a prostitute she thought she was hardened to everything, but she couldn't help but feel compassion for this child.

While she got dressed, Peter slowly slipped off the bed and pulled his boots and too long coat back on, and it looked like the weight of the world was on her shoulders, quickly Catlea pulled a spray bottle from her drawer and told the teenager to close his eyes.

Peter did as she said, and a fine spray of mist dusted over his face. "It's to give the impression you're sweaty after sex" she advised him, and Peter just nodded, while she also reached over and mussed his hair.

"There, now everyone will think you've done it". She smiled at him, which Peter tried to return.

"You won't tell anyone I didn't will you?" Peter whispered, feeling so sorry that he was putting her through that after she was so kind to which Catlea shook her head "No, client confidentiality, but I have to tell them you did, to get that Captain off you back".

There was an element of contempt in her voice which she didn't bother to hide, which made Peter feel twisted inside, and he felt he had to say something.

"He's not a bad Captain…and he used to care about me. He took me places and taught me stuff. He just doesn't anymore. I think I did something wrong".

Inside Peter felt like he was about to cry, just saying it out loud to a beautiful woman just tore at him. He had screwed up somewhere, and now Yondu didn't want him. That was the harsh reality, but Catlea had something to say about that.

"Peter, no fourteen-year-old like you could do anything wrong", it was good reassurance which he needed, while Catlea went over to the dresser and picked up her bottle of perfume, and pressed it into his hand. "I don't want this to remind you of me, but think of your mother. She must have been an amazing woman, to have such a wonderful son".

Peter could only nod as this feminine gift and sniffed back a tear, placing the perfume in his pocket, and thanking her.

Catlea walked him to the door, they both knew from this moment it was all pretence, but hopefully, I would be ok for a while, as the door opened and the illusion was shattered.

"Take care of yourself Star-Lord". She smiled at him, and Peter left the room, and almost immediately his world felt like it was going dark again, even with Catlea standing at the entrance of the door looking back at him.

At the foot of the stairs was Yondu, standing against the bannister drinking from a bottle of beer, staring into space, he was still pissed at Kraglin, and the emotions showed on his face, but Peter ignorant of this thought he was pissed at him.

Knowing he had to go down, he went down the steps causing his Captain to look up at him. "Well", Yondu's voice was coming out harsher than normal, so Peter had to say something, so he decided, to be honest. "It was wonderful", and he offered a smile, more sincere and honest than normal.

Which cued the cheers to raise from the Ravagers in the vicinity, "Boy's now a man" and the general comments while beers were passed around, naturally none for Peter who just didn't want one anyway.

Then Yondu looked back at Catlea, he had paid for this after all and wanted to make sure he got his money's worth, "So he did it, right?".

Catlea just nodded, noticing the several prostitutes in the bar, all trying to get some cash out of these Ravagers, all tarted up, giving the usual spill that tempted them. The fake smiles were plastered on their faces, but almost simultaneously all turned in Catlea's direction, and their eyes registered shock.

From this moment they were obliged to report her, and she knew it too. Without a second look, she retreated back into the room and tried to sort her head out.

Kraglin came into the bar, which got Yondu's attention, while Alezduren being a Ravager knew stealth, and moved quickly while everyone was congratulating the teen, getting to the door in seconds and slipping in while Catlea was stuffing clothes in a bag.

"Look I need to talk to you".

The blaster that Catlea always kept in arms reach was instantly in her hands, locked and charged before she even had the chance to turn around.

"Who the fuck are you, I'm finished for the day" Her tone was angry since she needed to pack her merge belonging and just go. Yet she noted that Alezduren had his hands up, no weapon in sight, and he didn't sound like a typical Ravager to her.

"I need to talk you about that kid…you didn't sleep with him did you?"

"Why there are no refunds no matter what", but then Catlea stopped noticing how sincere this Ravager looked, and that he was clearly a hybrid Kree-Xandarian, which did surprise her.

Catlea, just sighed, "Of course I fucking didn't. I'm a whore, but even I have standards…unlike that bastard Captain of yours. I mean what the hell was he thinking? A fourteen-year-old!"

Throwing her blaster down, she threw more clothes in her bag, she didn't even bother to look up at the Ravager. "Look whatever you have to say make it quick. I have to figure out a way to get off this rock right now, and the last thing I need is some Ravager holding me up", she practically spat the last word at Alezduren, who didn't even react.

"I know that, but I want to help you. I've booked a shuttle in two hours from the spaceport, you will be taken to my planet…from there you will go to my mother."

Alezduren explained everything, about his mother's position, which he played down for the crew, to the fact that she would be introduced as a high-class courtesan and would make more money in two years due to her connections. Alezduren was sincere, and his face was truthful.

Catlea had heard if all on Contraxia, but internally she knew he was right. His mother, why did no one know who she truly was, had agreed to take her on as an apprentice, which was life changing. And why had her son joined the Ravagers? Questions for another time and the lure of units and position denied to her was just being given to her, in return for her silence.

"Look, I've transferred ten thousand units to you for your passing, everyone will think your high class on the way there. You will get no trouble on your journey, I promise you".

Yondu had only paid her five hundred for her hour with Peter, for her that was a lot of units, and this guy had a spare ten grand.

"You'll get a new identity, new name and everything. No one will never make the connection after your introductions. She'll make sure of that".

It impressed her that Peter had an ally and the lure of units. Her position was screwed was she was standing, and this was an opportunity she couldn't refuse.

"Fine, I'll leave. But tell me this", Alezduren just leant in.

"Peter said that his Captain, wasn't a bad person…is that correct?"

"To that Alezduren nodded, "They used to be close, but over the last year…" Alezduren trailed off, he couldn't explain the circumstances which had turned Peter into this and caused Yondu to keep his distance, but Catlea just understood and replied. "Then take care of that boy, he doesn't deserve this life or that Captain of his. That's all I ask."

Alezduren nodded, and Catlea pressed the pad, and the units were directed to her, the deal was struck.

"Right so get the hell out of here, we have a back way. I'll sneak out of there".

There were no more words to be said, but Catlea gave Alezduren a smile of gratitude as she left the room, for the last time, she slipped out into the snow for the last time and under cover of the permanent night make her way to the waiting shuttle, for her new life. Feeling liberated with each step, but concerned about the young boy she had just encountered whom she would never forget.

In all the haste, however, she never saw the one person standing there in the shadows listening to every word, and who watching this unfolding and just grinning to himself, all the while making plans to change Peter's life forever

While Alezduren was making his way down the stairs, Peter was feeling twisted all over again in the crowded bar, with all the crew in comparison to the room he had just been in.

He felt conflicted and hurt, but Yondu was looking happier, giving smug looks to Kraglin who didn't look happy, but who was just drinking his beer.

Peter just needed to escape, get out of the bar. Go back to the M-Ship, without a word, he slipped away from everyone and walked into the cold air.

Even though the chill never touched his bones. Closing his eyes, he just looked to the sky and let the snow fall on him, but never feeling it the way he should.

He hadn't had sex, and no one knew about it. They could never know; Peter would have to hide it somehow…that somehow he didn't know.

Walking back, the ice crunching under his feet, he just wanted to get back, back where he didn't know. He could hear the sounds of drinking and laughter, real from the Ravagers and the false ones from the whores.

How much had Yondu paid Catlea anyway? No how much had he paid for her? Yondu had all his money, that's all he cared about money and himself.

Peter's mind a minefield of emotions, she sounds and the flashing lights, the itch on the back of his neck seemed to feel like it was bursting into flames. He didn't even register when he hit the ground, grazing his head on the snow, or the blood which fell from his face when he began to violently fit.

To be continued

Due to word length, I'm cutting it here, but the next chapter is pure angst. Not written yet, but it's angst of the highest order…sorry about that xx

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