Peter would have many secrets with Johnny over the course of the next two years. The first was but a warning sign a small child would have no way of picking up on.
Mama had been working later and later, bills were getting harder to pay she whispered to Johnny in hushed whispers when they thought Peter was sleeping, mama worried about medical bills the most it seemed but Johnny always told her not to worry, they would find some way to pay them.
Peter voiced his fears to no one real, whispering his fears to his stuffed racoon he pulled close to him waiting for his mama to come back home. She kept coming home later and later, Peter feared she might not come back at all one day and he didn't know how he would survive that blow.
One night, he pretended to fall right asleep after Johnny put him to bed and snuck back down stairs to hide and wait to see what was wrong with mom.
Johnny was shaking bad as he paced in the kitchen in his under wear (which mom usually yelled at him about only being in), phone held tight and the bright yellow cord tangling around him during his frantic pace.
"I don't have the money…not with Mer having to deal with her medical bills…"
"Yes, I do want my knee caps to remain intact…" he paused and Peter could hear someone yelling at him from the other end of the phone, "I'll get it, I'll get the money, somehow…just please give me more time…"
Peter felt a pang of pity seeing his friend collapse at the table, drinking straight out of the bottle he wasn't allowed to touch, tears beginning to mist around the edges of his eyes.
"Johnny, are you ok?"
"Just fine little dude, just fine," he said with a painted-on smile making Peter worry more just staring at the man.
Johnny rose from where he was sitting and took Peter's hand, ushering him back to bed with a gentle smile. He tucked him in once more and kissed him on the forehead like always setting Lily, his racoon doll, beside him once more.
"Where is momma?"
"She's…" he paused and Peter became impatient and once more asked about her whereabouts when he got no answer. It was getting late and he wanted her here to tuck him in and continue her story about the many adventures he would have in the future as the Star Lord.
"She's sick buddy," he finally said running his fingers through Peter's hair but Peter just knocked his hand away not liking that answer. Mama didn't lie or hide things from him, if she was she would have told him.
"She wanted to tell you but she was afraid you wouldn't understand she sometimes has to stay in the hospital."
Peter said nothing, hospitals weren't good places. Grandma went there and she never came back when momma told him she would have to stay there sometimes. He just continued to stare off, not understanding why mama would keep this from him unless she was going to leave too.
"She's coming back right?" he demanded looking at Johnny with eyes already filling with tears.
"Sure, buddy, she will. She's gonna be better, she'll talk to you about this all in the morning herself and tell you this is only temporary."
"Is that why you need money?" he asked between sobs pulling his raccoon doll grandma had made him the day he was born closer and mom had named Lily herself just wanting to feel closer to mama right now. Not liking at all that she was keeping things from him, mom was his best friend and best friends don't keep things big from you unless it was something bad.
"Pretend you didn't hear that little dude, it would be a huge favor to me if your mom didn't know I was tight on cash again."
"But the other person didn't sound happy," Peter whispered and Johnny sighed resting his hand on the child's hair.
"I'm helping your mom by not telling her what's going on little dude and you will be too if you don't breathe a word of this to her."
"Can I do anything else to help mom?" he asked sobbing louder as the man pulled him into a hug, kissing his forehead once more.
"Everything comes with a price kiddo."
And it did. Helping meant blood, tears and nightmares. Wanting desperately to give his mom a few more years lead to being tricked and deceived by those smarter and bigger then him.
It was the price he paid for being young, stupid and hopeful.
