"Miss Pris?" Yondu's voice floats over an intercom.
"Yes-s, Captain Udonta?" the receptionist calls back.
"Is my boy out 'ere?" he asks, and the boy in question emerges from a pile of cushions on the sofa.
"Yes-s Captain Udonta," Pris beckons the child from his pillow nest, "I'll s-send him right in."
Yondu lazes with the Madam in her oversized bed when Peter finally pokes his head through the door. He can see that the boy's pulling at his ear again, that damn translator just doesn't seem to be taking. Something does look different about the kid, but in the low light, the Ravager can't quite tell what.
"Captain?" Quill calls out in a small voice.
"Don' linger, boy," the pirate Captain says as he sits up and waves the child to him, "Come over here."
Peter gathers up the satin-like material of the robe Pris lent him and carefully picks his way to the bedside. As he approaches, Yondu's face goes through myriad emotions; indifferent, pleased, curious, and finally, very confused.
"Wha…? How come you all shiny, boy?" Udonta asks, he turns the boy's face this way and that, and watches the light sparkle in cascades over Peter's skin. "Sol'ya, take a look at this."
The Madam stirs from where she reclines behind the Captain. Her serpentine body shifts under the blankets, lifting her up, she chuckles when she sees the boy. "Aw, how s-sweet," she yawns and settles herself again, curling against Yondu's side.
"How this happen, Peter? It's all over you!"
"Miss Pris let me take a bath," Quill says shyly, he fidgets with the over-long sleeves of his robe, "She gave me this bubbly stuff… an' it made me all shiny."
"Yeah, hah, i' sure did," Yondu's shoulders shake with laughter, "An' perfumed you up like heershkra montk raman!"
Peter's eyes go wide as Yondu continues to speak, he chews his lip and tugs at his right ear, which feels like it's full of electric gnats. The boy can't understand a thing being said to him. "Um, Captain…" he says nervously, "I… can't… U-um…"
(Imagine, Yondu and Sol'ya's dialogue in alien languages with subtitles.)
"Damn."
"Hmm?" the Madam hums quizzically.
"Hrm, fo' some reason, this dang implant keep fritzin' out," Udonta mutters as he peers into the Terran's ear canal. "Okay, I think I see what it is… Come here, Quill."
Faster than the kid can blink, Yondu spins him around and lifts him onto his lap. The boy trembles anxiously as the Ravager Captain pulls him back against his chest and cradles his head against a strong, blue shoulder. Udonta murmurs soothingly to Peter while he presses at the bone behind the child's ear.
"You're s-so good with your s-son, Yondu," Sol'ya stretches languidly and traces her long fingers down the Captain's back as she watches them.
The Centaurian huffs, "Ain' my son…"
The Madam smiles gently, she's run this brothel for many, many years, and she knows men and what they long for, "He could be."
(End imaginary subtitles)
"Ow!" Peter flinches.
Yondu releases the boy, "Iz'at better?"
The boy brightens immediately, "Yeah! Way better!" Peter flips himself about and throws his skinny arms around Yondu's neck. "Thank you, Captain," he says into the man's shoulder.
Udonta glances sideways at Sol'ya and the Madam smiles knowingly in return. She flicks the Ravager's elbow and winks. Yondu lets out a breath and wraps his arms around the young Terran.
"Yo'r alrigh' now, ain'tchu?" the Captain says as he rubs the child's back; Quill hums and nods and hugs the pirate tighter. "M'okay," Yondu sighs and pulls the boy off him. He cups the kid's cheek and looks intently into those big, blue eyes.
Peter blinks but never looks away. They smile softly at one another, then Peter's stomach gurgles loudly. The young Terran giggles.
"You ain' ea'chet?"
Quill shakes his head.
Udonta scowls, "Don' be a fool, boy! Go ask Miss Pris ta feed you some!" The Centaurian gently pushes the kid away, and Peter squirms over the side of the bed, landing heavily on the floor. "G'won."
Peter jumps to his feet and hikes up his shiny robe. "Yessir," he says and runs from the room.
Yondu chuckles and shakes his head. He shivers as Sol'ya's great coils slide against him. The Captain lets out a pleasantly surprised breath as the Madam slithers up his body.
"If not as your s-son, Yondu, why keep him?" she asks as she presses tantalizing kisses to the pirate's jaw.
He chuckles again and grabs the woman. "'At's a good question," Yondu growls, "One we c'n discuss later…"