Peter's tears began to calm as he watched the captain disappear. He felt so empty and stupid. Everything was happening too fast and he didn't fully understand any of it. Just a few days ago, Peter had watched his mother die, his best friend and only person who ever cared enough to protect him, now he was considering becoming a space pirate just to not be sold to someone he didn't know or go back to a planet that caused him pain.

It all felt like too much.

"Do you want a hug?" Kraglin asked nervously but Peter shook his head firmly holding his fists tighter, he didn't want to be touched right now. He furiously began swiping the tears from his eyes before turning back towards Kraglin. He felt so stupid, how was he supposed to make his case for being a space pirate crying like a baby in front of the captain?

Kraglin sat in front of the bed preventing Peter from going back to his hiding place, he patted the spot beside him and Peter once more laid his head down on the older boy's lap, staring off into nothing. Kraglin rested his hand on his head, just like mama used to and just let it lie there.

"How did you become a ravenger Krag?"

Kraglin had a large smile on his face at that, he was the bragging type Peter could tell and had been ready to explode keeping the story to himself so long.

"Come sit by me little man and let me learn ya, how I Kraglin, defeat the most revered ravenger of them all, our very own Yondu Udonta at a friendly and fair game of poker."

"Ya cheat?" Peter whispered swiping the last few tears and snot from his face and onto his sleeve. Kraglin didn't seem to mind or find the act disgusting as many people usually did making Peter like the boy more.

Kraglin made a So-So gesture with his hands and made a face like even he wasn't sure how much of it was sportsman like.

"So, imagine it if you will, a lone Xandar orphan-"

"What is 'Xandar'?"

"Terra really is primitive and I am thankful we saved one of its children from a life of ignorance."

"Its my home planet," Kraglin said but his smile faltered at the admission, Peter knew that look, Kraglin really wasn't much different then him, neither had anything to go back home to.

"Or planet I was born on, the Elector is my home and always will be," there was pride oozing from each word, Peter tried to relax and will away the tremors still making their way through him. He remembered doing this with mom but he pushed those memories back, he didn't want to cry anymore over things he couldn't change.

"But Xandar isn't really that special," he said waving that off, "The important part was I was in the right place at the right time the very first time I saw the captain."

"I'd heard of him prior before, naturally, I mean who hadn't?"

"I hadn't-"

"Who, from a non primitive, actually important planet, hadn't," Kraglin specified with a huff of annoyance which Peter returned.

"I only heard of him through rumors and through the mouth of someone who owed him money-"

"Was that person really you but you are too proud to say it?"

"NO!"

Kraglin looked down at Peter with a face that made him instantly become quiet, Kraglin looked pretty pissed. Peter took a slow, shuddering breath and made to move away from him in case he decided to take a swat at him but instead tensed at the hand resting in his hair, gently scratching his scalp.

It was demeaning reminding him of how he used to pet his mother's cat when she curled on him but it was comforting so he didn't immediately swat the hand away. He let him scratch for a few more seconds before he began to wiggle away, silently telling him he didn't want to be touched. Kraglin took the hint and moved his hand letting Peter rise and pull his knees close to his chest, curling his arms around them, resting his head on them.

Kraglin just stared at him in concern.

"I won't hurt you, Star Lord," he whispered gently, "I promise. I'm not good at much but I excel at keeping my promises. What is a man if you can't rely on what he says anyway?"

"But you're not a man," Peter whispered, "You're just a kid like me."

He let out a small whimper, burying his head into his knees.

"How do you do it? How do you…"

"Be so handsome and amazing at everything I do," Kraglin joked but his words were hollow, he was afraid like him. Confused like him. But…

"How do you know what you want? Brave enough to just do it?" he sobbed. However Kraglin did it, the captain of a band of scary alien space pirates let him join the crew on his own merits. He wasn't forced into a situation, he did it on his own fruition and seemed happy with his choice.

"I'm not always brave," he admitted slowly staring at Peter as he began to cry again but the tears were slowing at the cabin boy's words, "I don't always know what I want and yer right, I am just a kid over his head like you are."

"But I make do, like I have been seeing you do too. Orphans gotta stick together the way I see it and I ain't gonna let anything bad happen to you little man."

"If you want to be a ravenger, I'll make it happen even if I gotta stalk and cheat against the captain all over again."

"Wait, Stalk and Cheat?" Peter asked his tear stained and snot covered face looking directly at Kraglin now. Kraglin smiled at him getting up and getting some toilet paper, wordlessly handing it to Peter who nodded his thanks.

"Its quite the story you keep interrupting."

Peter once more laid his head on Kraglin's lap when he sat down on the floor once more.

Before Kraglin could let out another breath to finally begin his epic tale, Peter interrupted him one last time.

"My real name is Peter Quill, Star Lord is just my code name."

Kraglin smiled mischievously down at him, "I already knew little man but I wanted you to tell me when you was ready."

"Kraglin, I don't feel good," he finally admitted and Kraglin nodded knowingly down at him. Everything felt like too much for him right now, like he was stuck in a vortex of raw emotions he couldn't control.

"Come lie down," Kraglin instructed patting the bed.

Kraglin gently helped him up, he body felt numb and wasn't being cooperative with him at all. He would have fallen if Kraglin wasn't holding onto him like he was. Kraglin gently plopped him onto the bed, pulling the blankets on him.

"You want anything from your pack to make you feel better, little man?"

Peter nodded against the pillow, all of a sudden feeling too drained to talk. He didn't understand what was wrong with him, everything felt like too much and he didn't feel like he could handle anything, even something as simple as talking.

He shuddered a little at Kraglin's fingers raking through his hair before relaxing to the touch. Kraglin pulled his Walkman out and said something about it Peter couldn't hear as he shut his eyes, shutting the world out a little.

He felt his racoon doll being put beside him and he instantly latched onto to Lily, breathing in her familiar scent. She smelt like mom. The tears started a new.

He didn't know how long he was out for but he when he finally came too, he was alone. Kraglin was gone, Captain Jerk Ass was nowhere to be seen and most peculiar the cell door was open for the first time in days.