A/N: I figured being quarantined was the best time to start posting a few of my work in progress pieces. Thankfully, the new stories already have at least four chapters completed so I'll roll them out every couple of days. There WILL be references to death, abuse, and neglect throughout this story. If that makes you uncomfortable, don't pass go or collect the $200 at the end of the chapter. I will add content warnings as needed.
Nebula is easily my favorite character of the MCU and it saddens me that we don't have a lot of information about her past the glimpses we get from the movies and the comics. This is loosely based around the MCU with bits and pieces inspired by the comics. I haven't hit the point of exploring the events of End Game in it so that'll prove to be interesting when the time comes. Cross-posted on AO3.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.
"Stay hidden," The words came out in a hushed whisper, the woman glaring at her daughter while she shifted to hold the baby in her arms closer to her chest. Her expression made it clear now was not the time for her eldest to challenge her.
Nebula shrunk back into the shadows. Her pale-blue hand reached out after her mother's retreating figure. They had taken shelter in the basement of the house. Mother, infant, daughter, and twin sons huddled near each other in the dark lighting of the least used part of their home.
She shifted away from them when she heard a floorboard creak above them, positioning herself behind boxes of hand me downs that would become hers once she grew a little larger.
The screams from outside the house were unsettling. Nebula hadn't heard them stop since the spacecraft hurtled out of the sky and took out the silo that held what was left of the hometown's food.
There was no sign of the others near her by the time she got situated behind the boxes, fists up and ready to fight if someone got too close to her. Her mother must have moved to check on her brothers. The baby was strapped close to her chest, sleeping soundly despite the chaos that surrounded them.
Their father was gone and never coming back. His sacrifice was marked by a loud thunk and a pained expression on her mother's face while she ushered the children into the basement. She didn't need to say anything for Nebula to know. The seven-year-old was too attuned to her mother's emotions and easily saw through the forced smile she tried to wear.
Mourning would have to come later. Occasional shushes were the only noises close to her. The ceiling creaked every now and then as the soldiers rifled through the house. No one expected the baby to cry out.
Her scream made Nebula flinch back in fear of the sudden sound, her head bouncing off the wall behind her. The floorboards creaked from above. The footsteps echoed over her mother's hushing, the baby sister's tears, and her brothers' whimpers. There was a firm thud at the doorway then it creaked open, her mother's voice heard hushing the twins and requesting that they stay close to her. The last thing Nebula would remember was her mother saying she loved them before shifting to turn her back on the creatures at the top of the stairs. Her shoulders hunched in an attempt to shield her youngest three children.
Someone gave an okay for the men to move, an affirmative response was given mere seconds before they began to fire on the tiny family. Nebula's mother cried out, form taking the brunt of the attack before collapsing on the boys. It didn't end there though. She couldn't watch, view limited by the water pooling in her eyes. She wouldn't cry, opting to bite her lip hard enough to draw blood instead. Remaining hidden behind the boxes seemed like the best thing to do until the light flickered on.
Nebula held her breath and slowly ducked down. No noise came from her besides the occasional inhale for air. There was a scuffling sound from nearby that caused her to clench her fists and get ready to attack.
"There, there, little one," The man's voice caused her to inch backward. A scowl creased over her lips. Nebula glared while she took in his appearance.
"You can come out now that they are gone." Nebula shifted to peer behind the purple-colored stranger. Lavender colored orbs went wide upon discovering no signs of bloodshed. There were no bodies or clues toward what she had witnessed. She pressed her tongue against her cheek and straightened up, fists still ready to fly if the man-made a wrong move.
"My brothers," Her voice sounded far braver than she expected. Her eyes met the purple man's when she spoke.
"I carried them to safety," He murmured and shoved the boxes aside, extending a hand toward Nebula once they were out of the way. "I can take you to them."
His statement earned a scoff from the young girl. Her scowl grew and her eyes narrowed in a silent challenge that he proved she could trust him.
"The men that hurt them mentioned coming back because the girl was nowhere to be found," There was a beat of silence then Thanos tilted his head and looked Nebula over. "Surely that means you."
Another beat of silence followed. Nebula slowly stepped around the stack of boxes that separated her and the stranger. She hesitated then took hold of his fingers.
"Now what is your name, little one?" The man asked and led Nebula out of the basement. The house was still intact. Photos were askew and there were several bits of furniture that were out of place. Her brothers' book bags were still by the door, waiting for them to go to school the next day. It didn't feel right.
Nebula cast a calculated gaze at the man. He was much taller than she was. That would have terrified her if she hadn't watched her mother get vaporized.
"I will tell you that when you bring me to my brothers," She scowled and released his fingers to cross her arms over her chest.
"You are quite the stubborn one," He chuckled then took several steps ahead of her. She didn't have much of a choice when it came to following him. The door was off its hinges, no longer covering the entrance to the home. "My name is Thanos." He added and stepped away from the exit, allowing Nebula to get ahead of him. "You will find I prove to be quite the ally."
Thanos didn't speak again until they reached his spacecraft. There was no way of shielding the youngster's eyes from the bodies in the street.
"Most of the children are already on board," He murmured when he caught her hesitating. "You are one of the last to join my crew."
Nebula chewed her lower lip then reached for Thanos' hand. She tightly grasped his index finger and blew a strand of black hair out of her face. Her gaze lingered on the hatch that led inside the ship before she took a breath and stepped forward. The young girl's breathing hitched when the hatch began to close behind her and Thanos. She stepped closer to him and glanced up, a look of panic briefly flickering across her features.
"You mustn't worry, little one," He murmured and shifted so he could put his hand on her shoulder, lightly tugging her closer to him. "We are going home now. You are safe."
"My brothers," Nebula's steps faltered, causing her to flinch when Thanos tugged her upward to keep her from tripping over him. The only exit was closed and the spacecraft was in the air. Anxiety was the only thing on her mind. It caused her to beg the next time she spoke. "You said I could see my brothers."
Thanos squared his shoulders and took a step away from her. He studied her for several seconds, then shrugged.
"As you wish," He sighed and led the girl down a dimly lit hallway. They came to a stop outside a grim-looking doorway. Nebula needed to squint to spot the door handle. She bit down on her lip to keep it from trembling then lifted her head up to lock eyes with Thanos.
"I expect you to be on your best behavior once we pass through this door," He rested his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it as a warning, ignoring the sound of discomfort that passed through the child's lips. "No tears, no trying to fight anyone. Am I understood?"
Nebula merely nodded and stubbornly clenched her jaw. A grimace took over when Thanos tightened the grip on her shoulder.
"I expect a verbal answer, He scowled down at her. The youngster didn't flinch back from the look he gave her. He raised an eyebrow, almost impressed to be on the receiving end of the glare she shot back at him. She would be tough to break but the effect of doing so was bound to be worthwhile. His scowl deepened when she didn't answer, fingers digging into her shoulder.
"Yes sir," Nebula sighed and softened her glare, giving him a dirty look once her shoulder was free from his grasp.
"Ah," Thanos chuckled. "There are the manners your parents bred into you." He patted the top of her head and laughed when she growled and stepped away from him. "Watch it." He warned her. "You won't be allowed to see your brothers if you keep behaving like this."
Nebula's eyebrows furrowed together, her expression faltering when she failed to come up with a witty response. She didn't have much time to get a word in as it was since Thanos opened the door and picked her up to make sure she entered the room instead of trying to flee.
She was face to face with four other beings once set back down, the scowl back in place the moment her feet touched the ground. The first was a woman with blue hair and a skin tone that was similar to hers. She couldn't have been a Luphomoid though. She would have recognized her from the group her family settled with after their home planet was destroyed.
The woman was leaned against a man Nebula only managed to sneak a glance at. He looked like something out of her worst nightmares. A man with a peculiar looking nose was beside him. He nudged a green-skinned girl that looked about her age. The girl appeared to be struggling to keep still. She was the least intimidating of the group.
Nebula stood on her toes to get a better look around the room, accidentally backing into Thanos when she realized her brothers were nowhere to be found. The desperate hope that one or both of them somehow survived was gone now. It's disappearance left her on the verge of tears, holding her breath in an attempt to keep from crying out.
"Your brothers," Thanos gestured toward the two men. "Corvus and Ebony." They nodded and shot a wicked grin in Nebula's direction. A low whimper escaped from her lips. The sound earned a scoff from the woman.
"You didn't say you were returning with cargo, Master," The woman glared at Nebula. One child on the ship was more than enough.
"Those aren't my brothers," Nebula cried out at the same time. Her outburst caused everyone to look at her. The woman seemed ready to strike her for having interrupted.
"Lower your hand, Proxima," Thanos grunted and stepped in front of Nebula. "The child has just realized she is the only survivor of her family." The discovery earned a choked back sob. Proxima's nostrils flared at the child's impudence. Nebula's attention was solely focused on making sure she didn't give Thanos a reason to decide she deserved the same fate of her brothers.
"I expect her to be treated like Gamora — as an equal until they understand my rules and are able to do what is expected of them."
"I never took you as one with a soft spot for Krees," Proxima muttered and lowered her hand. "I assumed Korath would have been the last of my siblings." The last word was accompanied by a look of disgust.
"I'm not a Kree," Nebula scowled and stepped aside so she could glare at the woman from behind Thano's leg. The look was half-hearted and pathetic enough to earn a laugh from the men. "I'm a Luphomoid."
"Even worse," Proxima shook her head. "The last thing we needed was two children of subpar backgrounds under everyone's wings. Now we have this impudent one as well. She needs to learn to —" Her sentence remained unfinished, halted by Thanos raising his hand.
"Enough," He growled. Proxima placed her hands behind her back and bowed her head, expression pained to have stooped to a more submissive state.
"My apologies Master," She shot a glare at Nebula then kept her head down.
"Gamora why don't you show your sister to your living quarters?" He asked in a calm tone. The question earned a nod from the green girl. A hint of a smile could be seen along the edge of her lips. "The adults need to discuss how to make her feel welcome."
"Yes, Father," Gamora answered then moved to Nebula's side. "And thank you." She curtsied then took Nebula by the hand, the smile breaking free when she led the blue girl out of the room.
The trek to the living quarters passed in a blur. Despite her best efforts, Nebula could not free her hand from Gamora's grasp. She spent the walk sniffling and on the verge of tears. The occasional sob interrupted the silence between her and Gamora.
She couldn't remember anything that happened after realizing her brothers weren't on the ship. There was too much change at once and very little time to adapt. It made her feel as though she was suffocating. It hurt to take in the sharp inhales of breath each time a sob escaped. She didn't even realize they had reached the living quarters until Gamora came to a sudden stop.
"Excuse me," The girl's voice brought her thoughts back to the present, Nebula flinching back when her hand was released. "I asked you a question." A panicked look was all Nebula gave her. "Now what's your name?"
Nebula didn't answer at first. She took a moment to plant herself, teeth digging into her cheek while she looked around the room. The walls were stone and gray. There were two beds. One had a teddy bear and the other simply had a pillow. There were no cheerful colors to be seen.
"I don't want to talk to you," Nebula spat out then curled up on the bed that didn't have the teddy bear on it. She pressed the pillow over her face in an attempt to regain control of her emotions. "And I'm not your sister." The words were muffled by the pillow.
"He will force a name on you if you don't give one," Gamora sat on the edge of Nebula's bed. "Mine is Gamora. I've been here for a few weeks. This will end badly for both of us if you keep this up so please give me your name."
Nebula gave an exasperated sigh and moved the pillow away from her face, hugging it to her chest instead. She refused to look at Gamora and glared at the wall. "Nebula. Now leave me alone."
Gamora gave a happy purr and began kicking her feet, ready to ask another question. She slowly shut her mouth when Nebula curled into herself and started sobbing. Not knowing what to do made her awkwardly shift to rub Nebula's back.
"Don't touch me," Nebula cried out, looking satisfied when the girl moved to the other bed. "I don't—" She didn't have anything else to say since a wave of emotions interrupted her. Nebula sobbed into the pillow, sharp intakes of breath still present once she fell asleep from lack of energy.
She didn't know how much time passed after that but the rest she got didn't feel like it was enough. Nightmares plagued her sleep. Her lips were dry and cracked from biting them to muffle her sobs. She hoped keeping quiet and appearing like she was asleep would allow Gamora to believe she needed the fitful period of rest.
Things were blurry the next time she woke up. Nebula forced her eyes shut and whimpered, slowly rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She wished her hardest that the whole thing was a horrible dream. Opening her eyes almost made her scream. She was face to face with the green girl.
Nebula forced a scowl and glared at Gamora. The girl raised an eyebrow back at her and looked unimpressed.
"Thank goodness you are awake," Gamora sighed. "Father was beginning to worry. You were in and out of sleep for forty-nine hours."
"He is not my father," Nebula spoke through gritted teeth and sat up. She wrinkled her nose when she spotted neatly folded clothes at the edge of the bed.
"He isn't mine either," Gamora shrugged and looked down at her feet. "It is best to play along though. Otherwise, he gets mad." Her face paled. "You don't want to make him mad. Last time I did, he locked me in a dark room for two days and yelled a lot." Her voice grew quiet and she shook her head. "He expects you dressed and ready to see him. I- I'm supposed to tell you his expectations."
"Can you turn around?" Nebula narrowed her eyes at Gamora. She would have argued but the brief interaction she had with Thanos (not to mention the death of her family) left her thinking it was best to try to stay on his good side.
Gamora did as she was asked and rocked on the balls of her feet while she waited for Nebula to change.
"You need to comb your hair and brush your teeth. I will show you the bathroom when you are ready. We aren't supposed to speak to him or any of the others unless they speak to us first." She took a breath before continuing. "And you can't fidget or look at them. Proxima and Corvus will be taking care of us until they think we are ready for what father has in store. They don't like children."
Nebula caught bits and pieces of what was said since Gamora spoke too fast. Her eyebrows furrowed together when she slipped the dress on over her head. She didn't like dresses but it was better than the rags she had from home.
"You have to keep your hands behind your back when you first enter the room and I—" Gamora trailed off and shook her head. "I'm still learning. They prefer being strict over being understanding." Nebula bit her lip and stepped into the shoes that had been provided.
"I don't like the sound of this," She mumbled and glanced at Gamora, shifting to rip the shirt she had worn before. The thin piece of fabric felt fragile in her hands. She hesitated then tied the small strand around her wrist, intending to keep it as a reminder of what she lost.
"We don't get a choice in any of it," Gamora sighed then shifted to hug Nebula, seemingly pleased when the girl didn't shove her away. "Now let's get you ready to meet father."
The arrival outside the throne room was marked by Gamora squeezing Nebula's hand. She used her free hand to lightly knock on the door.
"Good luck," The green girl murmured then departed, leaving Nebula waiting for the door to open. She stood with her head down and had her hands behind her back, crossed at the wrists.
The door opened and Thanos stood before her. She was the height of his knee. The titan didn't say anything at first. He made a clicking noise with his tongue and looked her over. Nebula held her breath while she waited for him to say something.
"The dress doesn't suit you, girl," He announced. Nebula slowly raised her head up. She took a step back upon discovering how close he was to her. "I will have to keep that in mind for when it comes to picking out armor for you."
"Armor?" Nebula's eyebrows furrowed together. "Why would I n—" Her question was interrupted by Thanos grabbing her by the collar of her dress. He lifted her off the ground and held her up for several seconds, scowling before he spoke.
"Why would I answer you when you couldn't give me a name when politely asked?" He shook her then roughly brought her to the ground, smirking when the force of his releasing her made her knees buckle. Nebula collapsed to the ground.
She gasped and put her hands down to brace herself. A panicked expression took over her features as she crawled away from him. It took a few deep breaths to get rid of the winded feeling in her chest. She shakily got to her feet, face paling when she looked up at Thanos.
"I'm Nebula, sir," She gasped, timidly looking at Thanos once more. Her gaze fell and Nebula stood up straight. She put her arms behind her back and crossed her wrists, hoping the stance Gamora taught her was strong enough to keep him from picking her up again.
"A quick learner," Thanos walked a circle around Nebula. She could feel his gaze traveling over her form. It was intimidating. She kept her focus on her feet and shifted uncomfortably.
"That will come in handy," He rounded Nebula once more then stopped in front of her. "Now kneel."
"No," Nebula murmured and stood up straighter. Gamora had said doing what he asked was best. As much as she wanted to believe that, she didn't need him thinking she was easy to control.
"Wrong answer," Thanos snapped and took hold of her shoulder. Nebula was seeing stars. The little pressure he applied left her feeling dizzy. His hand could easily break her shoulder. Knowing that caused Nebula to squeeze her eyes shut, teeth digging into her little lip to keep from crying out. She shifted in an attempt to free herself and winced.
"You are my daughter now," His free hand shifted to grasp hold of Nebula's chin, forcing the child to look up at him. Nebula's eyes opened in an attempt to get rid of the stinging feeling around them. She wouldn't cry. Looking at Thanos made her whimper.
"That means you will comply," The Titan added more pressure to her shoulder. Nebula dropped to the ground, crying out when he didn't let go of her.
"I'm not your daughter," Nebula bit her cheek and forced herself to look Thanos in the eyes. Tears were streaming down her face. The warmth of the liquid only made her mad since the attempt at keeping them from falling had backfired. "And I never will be."
Thanos let go of her shoulder and smirked when she dropped to the ground. Nebula wrapped her left arm around her right, cradling the one that had been nearly crushed by her alleged father.
"You will soon learn that I am someone you do not want to defy," Thanos' gaze never left hers. "Consider yourself lucky for my deciding to be kind. You may stand now."
Nebula slowly got to her feet and stared down at her sneakers. Thanos' gaze shifted to look over her posture.
"Fix that arm," He barked out. Nebula winced and forced her right arm behind her back. "Good girl." Thanos purred then cocked his head to the side. "You must be hungry." He moved away from her and turned his back on her.
She briefly considered running. The thought of food kept her rooted to the spot. She hadn't eaten since the night before her family perished.
"Yes," Nebula nodded and took a deep breath.
"Yes?" Thanos quirked a brow from across the throne room. He returned to in front of her and was holding a steaming cup in his hand. Nebula couldn't tell what was inside it but the beverage smelled good enough to make her stomach rumble.
"Yes, sir," The words were accompanied by a nod. Thanos didn't move.
"You will call me Master or Father," He bit out through gritted teeth. Nebula's stomach dropped. She didn't want to refer to him as either option. Eating was her main focus but her sense of pride was taking over.
"I'm not hungry anymore," Nebula announced and narrowed her eyes at him. Her stomach gurgled in protest. She ignored it and crossed her arms over her chest. Courage was something new for her. It caused her to stick her nose up in disgust and glare at Thanos.
"You are in for a rough week then, little chit," The Titan sighed and dumped the cup's contents on the ground, dropping the glass with enough force to make it shatter.
"We will return to your room now," Thanos murmured and lifted her up, chuckling when the child protested. He didn't release her until they reached the room she and Gamora shared.
Gamora jumped up from her bed when Thanos entered. She promptly abandoned her book and stood at the edge of the bed, arms behind her back with her hands crossed at the wrists.
"I'm sorry my bed isn't made, father," She focused on her feet. "I was expecting Nebula to…"
"Hush, little one," Thanos sighed. He lowered Nebula to the ground and made sure she could only see him.
"Your sister decided to do things the hard way," Thanos sighed, expression softening when he looked at Gamora. "Smuggling food for her is forbidden. I have eyes in the kitchen and the mess hall. Do not test me." He let the warning sink in then narrowed his eyes at her. "Am I understood?"
"Yes, Father," Gamora looked him in the eye. She curtsied when he nodded in reply and let her gaze drop to the ground.
"You will not leave this room," Thanos narrowed his eyes at Nebula. "The bathroom door will remain locked until I decide you may relieve yourself and you will not get food until you say one of the words that caused this mess. Be grateful I have opted for your having Gamora as company. Next time you defy me will earn a day spent in isolation."
He didn't give her a chance to answer him, attention shifting to Gamora. "You may stay with her. Know there will be an equal amount of consequences if you begin to act like her instead of her learning to act like you. Now get some sleep. I'll unlock the door in the morning."
Neither girl moved from where they stood until he departed and shut the door behind them, the latch clicking shut. Nebula's form shook. She was ready to scream or cry. Not trusting herself to do either prompted her flinging herself on the bed and squishing her face into the pillow. A cry escaped and she bit the pillow to keep quiet, flinching when a hand rested on her back.
"Sorry," Gamora whispered. "You look like you need some support." Nebula remained still, shifting to make room for Gamora on the bed. The green girl did the unexpected and laid behind her. Her hand slipped around Nebula's waist. Nebula took several deep breaths in an attempt to calm down. Tears streamed down her face.
"I refused to call him Father," She lifted the pillow from her face so her mutter could be heard.
"You will have to at some point," Gamora sighed and lightly traced circles on Nebula's back. "Sooner rather than later, please. Proxima made it sound like they are planning to punish both of us if either of us fails."
The words did little to help. Nebula rolled over so she was facing Gamora.
"His people killed my mother and baby sister in front of me," Her heart ached just thinking about it. "And did who knows what to my brothers. What makes him think I would —" She hiccoughed and closed her eyes.
"It's better than calling him, Master?" Gamora sighed. There was a moment of silence that got filled by Gamora beginning to hum. The tune caused Nebula to open her eyes and look at the other girl as though she had three heads.
The tune was familiar — far too familiar. Nebula gulped back a sob and kept quiet to allow Gamora to finish the tune.
"Where did you learn that?" She whispered. Gamora's hum came to a halt. Her eyebrows furrowed together.
"My mother," Her voice was weak and her cheerful expression faltered.
"My mum knew it too," Nebula murmured. It was perplexing because they came from different backgrounds. The two eventually fell asleep, feeling more at ease to have found something in common.
Nebula's stubborn streak lasted for four days. Hunger was something she was used to. Her home planet had very little food so the family was grateful for what they had. She often skipped meals to make sure her brothers got a reasonable amount of food. The streak was broken on a morning where she could barely stand on her feet. A mumbled "may I please have something to eat, dad?" was sufficient enough to get food from the Titan.
A month would pass with little incident. Proxima and Corvus made sure the girls were ready to present to Thanos. They had a rigorous training that involved learning self-defense, sword-wielding, and proper etiquette. The two were fit into uniforms and seemed to appreciate the game-like atmosphere that accompanied their sessions. Everything felt okay until the day Corvus announced they were ready to face Thanos.
Proxima took each girl aside to do their hair before the results of her and her husband's work were shown. Gamora was given two braids and Nebula was left with one long braid. The two were quiet, waiting for instructions to be given.
Corvus led them to the throne room of the spacecraft. The two stared at their feet once inside. The room was different from the last time they were there. Thanos' throne was off to the side. There was a square area in the center of the room. Their father stood in the middle, his expression unreadable while he took in the girls' appearances.
Gamora and Nebula wore the battle gear they had been fitted for. Nebula wore a purple suit to contrast the dark blue birthmark that ran down the center of her face. Her bangs remained untouched minus Proxima scoffing at the bright blue streaks that ran through her hair. The only notable thing about her appearance was the way the sleeves of her outfit cut off at her shoulders.
Gamora was dressed similarly. Hues of purple shone through the uniform. Each girl had a belt around their waist that held their weapon of choice. Gamora settled on the blade Thanos gave her the day he took her in. Nebula was privy to a pair of short blades, having found the use of the two on the robot they sparred with to be more effective than using one.
Corvus had been left in charge of taking notes about the girls while mentoring them. He was the one that taught them the proper stances. Nebula thrived with offensive attacks while Gamora was skilled at using defensive ones. He made a point to mention that they would make a good team. They were evenly balanced. Gamora just happened to be the stronger of the two since she was there longer.
"Brilliant," Thanos sighed and looked each girl over once more. "Now to see how you fair in combat." He turned toward Proxima. "You did say they are ready, did you not?"
"Of course, Master," Proxima nodded. "They have given Corvus and me no reason to believe otherwise." Thanos merely nodded at what was said and brought his gaze back to the girls.
"You will fight each other," He announced and gave Gamora a dirty look since she released a shocked gasp. Nebula merely looked confused. "The winner will decide who trains them."
Neither girl moved toward their adoptive father. Their looking at Corvus and Proxima for assistance proved useless since the two went out of their way to avoid meeting their gaze.
"Nebula on this side," He motioned toward his right. "Gamora on the other." A satisfied smirk appeared when the two moved to where he pointed. The girls stared blankly at each other. They showed no signs of reaching for their weapons.
"On my count, you will show me precisely what you were taught. I was informed about your strengths and weaknesses so far and expect a good show," Thanos said. He allowed a few seconds for the girls to get ready. Corvus cleared his throat and the two got into their fighting stances with their weapons drawn.
Thanos looked satisfied until he counted. He lowered his arm to say it was time for them to attack. Neither girl moved. They stared at each other and shook their heads. The adults looked unimpressed.
"I can't," Nebula said at the same time Gamora gasped out, "I won't." Corvus and Proxima looked livid. Their expressions were nothing when compared to Thanos'.
"Then you don't eat," He said through gritted teeth. His nostrils flared. "Drop your weapons."
The two did as they were told. Their weapons clattered to the ground and they fixed their stances. The girls placed their arms behind their backs with their hands crossed at the wrists. They focused on their feet, bodies shaking while they waited for Thanos to continue.
"Proxima bring them to their room. They are to be locked in for the night," He snarled. "I don't care what you do with them on your way up there. Just know killing them means I kill you." Nebula bit down hard on her lip to keep from whimpering.
"Neither of you will eat until you fight the other." Thanos settled back into his throne and glared at them from across the room. "I am done with you for now."
Proxima waited until the girls were out of the throne room before she attacked them. She allowed the two to get a good distance ahead of her then summoned her spear, pleased to receive it without alerting Nebula or Gamora.
It took a moment for her to adjust her grip on it then she cocked her arms back, rapidly sending two bursts of energy at the girls. They hit their targets and the two girls dropped to the ground, writhing and crying out in pain.
Nebula was certain she never felt that much pain before in her life. She could barely hear her own cries over Gamora's. It felt like forever before the energy dissipated. She could barely think straight past knowing she no longer wanted anything to do with Proxima. The woman neared them and the two huddled together with a panicked expression.
"I can do worse," Proxima glared down at them. A look of pleasure creased over her features when Gamora and Nebula whimpered. She pointed her spear at Gamora then shifted it toward the other girl. "However, I value my life enough to leave it at that for the evening. Your lives mean nothing to me after the stunt in front of Thanos. I will do worse the next time you decide to cross me and my husband. Now get up and go into your room."
"Yes ma'am," Nebula winced and got to her feet. She bit down hard on her lip, her joints aching from convulsing.
"Sorry ma'am," Gamora slowly stood. She felt as though she was going to be sick to her stomach.
"Shut up," Proxima barked. She smirked when the girls jumped and moved faster. The woman took pleasure in locking them in the room after making sure there was no light inside.
Neither girl spoke once in the sanctuary of their bedroom. They curled up on their beds in an attempt to block out the day's events. It was clear they would have to fight at some point but sleep and resting for the next day was far more important than discussing their current predicament.