It turns out that some alien species simply learn slower than others, especially where lust and pride are involved. When Groot and Rocket made their display, taking down the big guy that had threatened Peter and claiming him as their own, not all of the aliens were deterred.

Some were too entranced by the lure of the rare Terran to worry about the consequences, or thought they could maybe trade with his keepers for some time with him.

The first one to confront Rocket with that idea learned the answer "no" very quickly and painfully as Groot took offense. That idea dwindled quickly.

Still, a few remained interested enough to feel the consequences could be damned. That was, until they realized he never left his keepers sides. Only one creature, a tall, well-muscled humanoid with four arms and a perpetual smirk on his animalistic face, was interested enough in taking his desires out on the Terran to find a way around the problems presented.

After watching the Terran talk down Drax the Destroyer from killing Thanos' kin Gamora, the alien with the tiger-like face was even more interested. Now was the time.

As the others slowly went back to the communal cells, none of them noticed as the tiger-faced man slunk around behind them to pay off a guard.

Peter Quill was half asleep when he felt a hand cover his mouth. His eyes snapped open, but before he could even begin to struggle three more arms wrapped around his body to prevent movement.
Rocket was curled against Groot not far away and Peter began to make as much noise as he could to get their attention. In a second the hand over his mouth closed over his nose as well, and Peter's eyes went wide in panic.

Suddenly they were moving, and Peter was thrashing as his lungs screamed for air. A quiet voice nearly purred in his ear, "If you stop making so much noise I'll let you breathe again."

With his vision darkening Peter nodded as frantically as he could in agreement. The hand moved from his nose and mouth and Peter sucked air in to his lungs desperately, not aware of, or concerned about, where they were going or why.

When he was unceremoniously dropped on the cold floor Peter was barely recovering from the near suffocation, and didn't even move.

A deep chuckle captured his attention after a short time, and Peter's eyes focused on the creature that had brought him here. His face and arms were covered in a light fur, the markings tiger-esque, though yellow and green, his eyes the amber of a feline, and the two extra arms. All of this he took in in mere seconds before the alien knelt over him, cruel smirk spreading his lips to reveal sharp canines.

"You can make all the noise you want to in here, little Terran," he purred again, "no one will come."

Before he could move Peter felt a pair of arms holding his waist and two more ripping his prison issued shirt away from his chest.

"Whoa, dude, what the hell?" Peter snapped, trying to push the man away from him, his breath finally recovered. "Get off of me!"

"I have been looking forward to this for too long, little Terran," was the reply. His strong second arms held Peter firmly, as his first arms, the ones that would be classified as normal to Peter were he inclined to think about it, roamed over his chest and stomach.

Peter, never the type to give up anything without a fight, pushed against the alien with all of his might. It was nowhere near enough to do anything, except make the tiger-like man reposition himself over Peter's body.

The creature was now sitting on his pelvis, his first and second arms moving off Peter's body to pin his hands down above his head, while the other hands began to roam his body in their place.

"Fuck man," Peter shouted, struggling ferociously with no luck. The being above him was too strong. "You're supposed to get permission before you take someone to the floor like this!"

"You would have said no," the tiger-like man responded, his fingers brushing over Peter's nipples. His smirk widened when Peter gasped in pain and a shock of pleasure.

"Damn straight I would have, tiger-face!" was the breathless retort.

A laugh escaped the thing above him. "Call me Aguk, little Terran," he told him, as his fingers roughly caressed Peter's nipples.

Peter growled to keep from groaning, the pain overwhelming any possible pleasure. "Screw you," he snarled, trying to squirm away from him, despite how hopeless it seemed.

Aguk looked Peter over for a moment, before removing his hands from Peter's chest to pull his own pants down. "This is taking too long, little Terran."

The severity of the situation began to really hit Peter and suddenly the shouts started anew as he thrashed as hard as he could.

A hand clamped over Peter's mouth, muffling his screams.

"I've heard Terran's taste better than any race out there," Aguk whispered to Peter, bending over him so his fur brushed Peter's ear. "Naturally, that is something I have to decide for myself."

Abruptly the hand was replaced with a furry face, a long tongue forcing its way between his teeth. Taking the opportunity Peter bit down hard on the intrusion and was satisfied with the coppery taste of blood that filled his mouth before the appendage was removed and a heavy hand struck his cheek.

Peter couldn't help but release a pained cry before he shut his mouth, not wanting to give this man the pleasure of hearing his pain.

One hand grabbed his jaw, prying his mouth open. "You're a bit dangerous after all, little Terran," Aguk chuckled. "If you bite me again I will make you regret it, do you understand?"

Before he even gave Peter a chance to respond, he moved himself higher on Peter's body and gripped his hair, pulling Peter's head and shoulders off of the ground before shoving himself in to Peter's mouth, as deep as he could. The choking sound Peter made caused him to grin in self-satisfaction. Then he began to thrust, quickly, remaining deep, only pulling back enough to allow him to breathe as little as necessary.

After another few moments the vile appendage was removed. "I hope you got it good and wet," Aguk commented, as he ensured Peter couldn't move again. As if he could. Peter was mostly focused on getting air to his burning lungs, not paying attention to the words spoken by the man above him.

The next thing Peter was sure of his own pants were being removed, and as much as he tried to turn on his side, to get away, the grip on him was too tight.

Fingers probed him, feeling his hole, grazing over his member. Peter bit back a moan, the first thing that had felt even remotely good in the last few moments. The grip tightened and pulled and Peter cried out, unable to hold himself back.

"Such noises, little Terran. You try so hard to be strong but I know when I get to you."

Those words made Peter freeze. He had to be silent, stop giving this man the satisfaction.

Warmth closed over him and Peter barely withheld the gasp of shock. A tongue worked over him, causing him to shiver. For a few brief seconds the feelings were pleasurable, then sharp teeth scraped along his length and Peter had no power to stop his cry.

When Aguk rose his head Peter saw blood dripping between his teeth and knew where it had originated. Peter's head swam from the pain. He had no idea how much damage had been done, but he knew how much it hurt.

"It seems Terran's do taste delicious," Aguk announced, licking his teeth. "If you feel as good as you taste..."

"Shut up," Peter snapped weakly,forcing himself to be stubborn, to ignore the pain, to try to distract this thing until he could get away so nothing more could happen. "You talk too much."

"Ah, so the little Terran is in a hurry," Aguk chuckled, his fingers roaming over Peter's rear.

Peter bucked, wanting to move as far away from the unwanted touch as possible. "Stop calling me little."

Aguk laughed. "I realize it has been a few moments," he said, "but I hope your mouth was enough to make this slide right in."

The fingers moved, shoving into Peter's mouth, and he gagged. A sensation at his ass caught Peter's attention, and when it registered what was happening Aguk shoved in to him. The overwhelming pain of the intrusion caused Peter to scream, tears welling in his eyes.

Drax had been thinking about the words the Terran boy had said to him earlier as he lay in his spot on the floor. No bodies surrounded him so he could sprawl if he wanted to, but Drax the Destroyer generally lay rigid and unmoving. The Terran had promised he could fight Ronan if he stayed by the witch's side, and he had every intention of doing so.

A scream cut through his thoughts, and Drax was curious if someone else was trying to kill the girl he was supposed to follow to his prey.

Glancing around Drax realized no one else was awake, so no one else had heard the scream. He decided if someone else was going to attempt to kill his prize he was going to have a say in it.

Getting up Drax followed the sounds of cries, and realized the voice making them was distinctly male. For a moment he turned around to go back, deciding he didn't care, until he heard a familiar voice cry out for Rocket. Wasn't Rocket that furry little animal that had claimed the Terran boy their first night here? Who but that kid, the same kid that had promised him Ronan, would call out for that critter for help? This might actually be worse than killing the girl, for who would keep his promise if the boy died? Decision made, Drax continued to follow the cries.

What he saw when he found them actually made him recoil.

The thrusting was taking its toll on Peter. He could feel the way being eased for his attacker as his own blood dripped down his thighs. The pain was making him cry out and Aguk was enjoying listening to him scream and cry in agony.

The monster's hand gripped his member again, pumping him in time to the thrusts, but the scratches he had been given before were prohibiting any pleasure the gesture might otherwise have offered. Peter wasn't sure if that was good or not, he hardly wanted to enjoy this but he wanted the pain to stop.

A long tongue suddenly slid up his belly, and he felt his stomach clench at the sensation. It roamed his upper body while the lower continued to be abused. "Oh little Terran," Aguk purred above him, his breath ghosting over the trail of saliva left in his wake. "You really are delicious."

Peter closed his eyes, his body too sore and exhausted to put up much more of a fight. Then sharp teeth scraped down his chest and Peter screamed again, this time calling out to the first being he could think of that might care enough to help him. "Rocket!"

The blood was being suckled from the wound, and the pounding at his back was getting faster, more erratic. The blood was exciting this creature, and Peter's heart sank. He really could die here if no one heard him, and only Yondu might care.

He felt a wet heat erupt inside of him and cried out against it, weak though it was. Aguk remained inside of him, biting along his chest, tugging on his nipples with his teeth, creating red streams to spill down his sides. At least he finally released Peter's length to peruse his body with one more hand.

The tears continued to race down his cheeks, but he was spent. Peter attempted to will himself to fall unconscious.

A growl above him made Peter flinch, fearing what was next, until Aguk pulled out of him harshly. Peter curled in on himself now that he was free to move and shut his eyes even tighter.

He heard voices above him but could only make out parts of the conversation, his mind too addled by pain to be fully coherent.

"-hell are you doing?!"

That voice was vaguely dark and... familiar.

"Wanted - taste of - Terran. You-?"

Peter would have run if he could, realizing he was being offered over.

"You dare-!"

Suddenly, a scream echoed around the room before being abruptly cut off.

For the next few moments Peter hovered on the edge of consciousness. He was certain of only two things, a sickening crack that he thought for a moment was someone attacking him again, and gentle hands reaching under his battered and bloody body, picking him up. Before he fell fully under the bliss of darkness he saw red splattered everywhere. Blood. His own? He wasn't entirely sure as he fell fully unconscious.

The next time Peter opened his eyes he heard sirens, and shouting. Everything swayed and he felt sick, nausea roiling within him, so he shut his eyes again. A few more times he was shaken, or something loud shook him from his unconsciousness for but a moment before he fell under again.

Finally, when his eyes stayed open and the room remained still enough Peter noticed Rocket, Groot and Gamora were there, sitting nearby. So was Drax, and Peter recoiled at the sight of him, fear coursing through him. The pain at moving caused him to cry out, causing everyone else in the room to look at him.

"He's awake," Rocket announced, hopping off of the table he had been sitting on to move closer.

"I am Groot."

"He wants to know how you're doing," Rocket translated.

"Been better," Peter answered, but he never took his eyes off of Drax.

"I can imagine," the raccoon responded, standing close.

Peter had no idea where he was now, and attempted to sit up before Gamora reached out and held him down. "Don't."

A flash of panic shot through Peter. He hardly knew this woman, what would she do to him in this state? One of the last things he truly remembered was being offered to someone with a familiar voice to do with as they pleased. When Gamora realized where his thoughts were heading she removed her hand. Peter took a steadying breath. "Where…?" he started to ask, his voice hoarse and throat dry from his experience. "Why…?" he tried again, looking back at Drax.

"Big man saved you," Rocket explained vaguely.

All Peter could do was stare. He was confused, shocked, and unsure. He wanted to pretend nothing had ever happened, but the pain he felt everywhere told him otherwise.

Gamora picked up the explanation, as Drax seemed to prefer silence and Rocket gave no details. "Drax brought you back to the men's quarters and woke Rocket, who went in to a panic when he saw you."

"I did not!"

"I am Groot."

"I did not!"

"Aguk…?"

"When they find what remains of that filthy animal they will have a difficult time identifying him," Drax spoke for the first time. Peter recognized that voice, he knew he had heard it before. First, when he tried to calm the enraged man down from hurting Gamora, and again, when he was only half conscious due to pain.

This was overwhelming, and Peter wasn't sure he could handle it all right now. Drax had saved him, and brutally killed the animal that had hurt him. Rocket actually gave a shit. The only thing that could make this better would be to be out of that prison with his headphones on and music playing.

"Get rest Peter," Gamora requested, moving to stand by him. She started to reach out to him but Peter flinched back reflexively and she pulled back. "Sorry."

"No, no, I am," Peter tried to assure her, though his voice came out slowly.

"You have nothing to apologize for," she told him, gently.

"You really should sleep, though," Rocket reiterated, after Groot nudged him. "You're safe here."

"Where?"

"You idiot, you don't recognize your own ship?"

Peter looked around him quickly, making him feel sick again. Shutting his eyes he had to wait for the feeling to pass before he threw up, he missed the looks everyone shot at Rocket for his insult. Eventually he could open his eyes again and this time took in his surroundings slowly. He was in his room on his ship, but he had been too distracted to notice before. "How?"

Crossing his arms Rocket shook his head, choosing not to get in more trouble.

"I am Groot."

Looking at Groot, Peter wished he could understand him the way the raccoon did. As it was he was no closer to understanding what had happened now than he had been a moment ago.

With a put upon sigh Rocket rolled his eyes and started speaking. "He said if I don't insult you again I can explain what happened, seeing as how it was my plan."

Peter let out a short laugh. "It's okay, Rocket. Glad you haven't changed actually."

With a toothy grin Rocket launched in to his explanation. Something about a power cell and the entire prison losing gravity as they commandeered the control room. They had had to act fast to get Peter out of there and to safety, and Peter had no idea what to think.

The guard Gamora had taken down had admitted to her which ship had come in with them, though she had only demanded to know where docked ships were so they could escape in one. Process of elimination meant it was Peter's own Milano, so here they were after an epic fight that Peter regretted missing. And he had missed it because...

The reality of what had happened hit him full force and he found himself clutching his head, legs curled up to his chest. A distant wail filled his ears and he had no idea where it was coming from, his mind so wrapped around his memories.

When a hand gently rested on his shoulder, Peter shot back on his bed, his breath coming out in short gasps, eyes squeezed shut. Something wet landed on his arm and Peter was sure for a moment that it was his own blood.

Before he could curl further in to himself he felt a familiar pressure cover his ears and "O-O-H Child" began to fill his head. A small object was placed in front of him and Peter opened his eyes to see his walkman. He breathed deeply, the sound ragged, and regained his bearings as the song played.

After a few moments he reached out to hold the walkman, and once the song ended he rewound it to listen again. He noticed a drop of water on his arm and reached out to wipe it off. Remembering the thought that his blood was on his arm nearly set him off again, until he reminded himself it looked like a teardrop. Had he been crying? Deciding to ignore this he focused on the song. By the time it ended the second time Peter was recovered enough to pause the walkman and look back up at the people that had helped him, and the man that had saved him. They had stayed nearby while he listened to the song, afraid to agitate him again but refusing to leave him alone.

"Feeling better?" Gamora asked him cautiously.

Peter nodded slowly, forcing a grin to his face.

By the looks they leveled at him Peter could tell they didn't believe him, but tough shit. He was fine. What business was it of their's how he dealt with things?

A brief memory with Yondu flashed through his mind but he shoved it back down, refusing to hear the man call him weak, pathetic and useless when he wasn't even here.

A clearing throat caused Peter to look up again, and he noticed them all watching him. He swallowed, and winced, and then smiled to try to hide it. His throat still hurt from the abuse...

Peter shook his head to dispel those thoughts, and had to touch his head to try to steady his vision as he groaned at the sudden head rush. No, he had to focus, focus on anything other than that.

Peter noticed his wrist, and the bruise on it that was in the shape of a large hand. He shut his eyes again before he could lose it a second time. Was everything going to remind him? Then he realized everything Aguk had done and slowly reopened his eyes to survey his body.

His chest was bandaged, but otherwise bare. Not that that accounted for much, the bandages covered a good seventy-five percent of his torso. His lower half was at least covered in a pair of his own pants, probably grabbed from his drawers.

A weight settled on the bed beside him and Peter forced down the growing panic at the close presence before looking up. Drax was sitting beside him, watching him, his eyes soft and concerned, but not moving. How did Drax the Destroyer know to be so unmoving after startling Peter? Insticnt? Peter couldn't help but think anyone else would have already reached out to touch him. Gamora already had once, then almost again, someone else actually had.

"Rest, Peter," he spoke, quietly. "Sleep. We are here, and you are safe now."

For some reason Peter did feel safe at those words. He was on his ship. These people, strangers though they were, were taking care of him better than anyone else ever had since his mother had passed. If they were going to do something to him, they would have already. With a soft moan Peter nodded lightly, slowly, trying to keep the pain to a minimum, and shut his eyes again. Within moments, he was fast asleep, only this time it was a true, healing sleep.

Around him four beings shared looks of concern, and slowly draining anger.

"How long until he's better?" Gamora asked the gray skinned man that sat near their new companion.

"I know nothing of Terran's," was the remorseful response. None of them could understand Drax's sudden softness towards the man on the bed, but they were not going to question it.

"I am Groot."

Two heads turned to look at the raccoon, awaiting a translation.

"He said his body will heal faster than his mind and heart. I agree."

He was answered by the nods of everyone surrounding him, and when Drax spoke again, his voice soft and sad, he was also met with agreement. "Then we do not leave him until then."

The first nightmare came while he slept that first time afterwards. He woke in a cold sweat, his body drenched, a scream caught in his throat. Looking around frantically it took Peter a few moments for his head to clear and the shadows to fade into the recognizable shapes of his own room. He oculd still feel the hands and teeth roaming his body, but he was safe on his ship.

A shifting at his feet caught Peter's heightened awareness and he looked o see who or what was with him. He noticed Rocket curled against a corner of his bed, sleeping peacefully. Was Rocket there to keep an eye on him? It was comforting to have him there, no matter the reason, though Peter was unsure why it comforted him. Comfort around others was not something he was used to, especially when any of them could kill him, or worse… take advantage. Still, Peter wasn't any more wounded than he had been. I would have to be enough.

Pulling his headphones back over his ears he played "O-O-H Child" until he fell in to a blissfully dreamless sleep.

Sleep was a novelty after that. Getting dragged aboard Yondu's ship after saving Gamora had been a different kind of nightmare, with the man demanding to know what happened to him. Gamora stepped in before Peter had to think of a suitable story (and therefore try not to think about the truth) and explained he had gotten in to a fight to protect her.

Yondu let it go after their friends threatened to blow up Yondu's ship for them.

After that was Ronan. If Peter didn't sashay the way he would have liked while distracting Ronan, who could have known? If the song he chose to sing was the one that had been helping him most during this time, what did it matter to anyone else?

The Infinity Stone brought back memories of being torn apart, but when Peter grabbed Gamora's hand he felt himself pull back together just enough. Drax and Rocket offered their support as well, and Peter suddenly knew he had a family, something he had not had since he heard his mother flat line.

Then the moment passed, Ronan was defeated, the Nova Corps took the Infinity Stone for safe keeping, and Peter got his new Milano.

That night, Peter slept. When he woke up tears stained his face and he could not stop shaking. He was safer with his new family, but that could not stem the flow of his nightmares when the lights went out, and this time he was alone. Gamora walked in just a moment later, but by then Peter had closed his eyes and was feigning sleep well enough to fool her. Instead of falling asleep again, however, he kept his breathing even and did everything he could think of to keep himself awake, short of remembering the nightmare that woke him up.

As his physical wounds healed and began to fade Peter's mind seemed to decide he needed some other way to remember. He soon began to realize he had no escape at night. The dreams began to intensify and Peter began to fear sleep.

Insomnia set in slowly, and Peter found himself searching for things to do to stave off sleep. Finding jobs was easy enough and he got to be selective, as the super hero business meant staying just on this side of the law. That was fine as far as Peter was concerned, being slightly more selective meant more exciting jobs, more things to do, see, more places to explore.

The excitement was enough to keep him going without sleep for a while, until his body began to wear down due to the lack of rest. How could he tell his team that sleep was just not an option when they saw him trip over nothing on his ship? Or yawn at the worst possible moments? It was best, he decided, to just keep up a steady intake of caffeine and push through. Not as if he hadn't done worse to himself in the past.

Though the others attempted to talk to Peter, explain how worried they were about him, get him to open up, they were unsuccessful. Of course they all knew he had been through a harrowing experience and a change in his attitude and demeanor were to be expected as he dealt with the after effects. They did not know to expect a complete shut out of the people who considered him family. Terran's were different to most other inter-planetary species and while his team expected that they did not know the extent to which a mind can destroy itself.

At first they tried to force him to lay down and rest, but it became apparent quite quickly that forcing Peter Quill to do anything was a quick way to make their Captain lose his mind. In short order they realized that naturally he did not want to be forced to do anything after what he had been forced to endure and abandoned that attempt.

Then they came together and decided to hide his caffeine, which they thought worked for a short while until they realized that without caffeine he found new ways to force himself to stay awake. One night while they traveled Rocket came upon him dancing like a maniac. When he demanded to know why all he got in response was that moving helped him stay awake, so he wouldn't stop moving since he seemed to have run out of caffeine. "Won't you get more tired that way?" the raccoon asked, only to receive a shrug in reply as the outlaw turned hero kept up his pace. Soon they realized he would wear himself out faster that way, but he put so much strain on his exhausted body that they worried about long term consequences.

Gamora then offered to drug him to induce sleep. The first night it seemed to work, his body so worn down and exhausted that he slept dreamlessly for the first time in months, and seemed to wake up refreshed. The second time, however, he woke up in a cold sweat, screaming and wondering how he had fallen asleep in the first place. No one would confess to anything, but they were slowly beginning to understand why he did everything in his power to stay awake.

Things looked bleak when the team took on a new job. This one was on a planet none of them had been to before, and their goal put them right in the middle of a large cafeteria style eatery. Peter was quiet, as he had been for too long, and walked along beside his team, his mind full of troubled thoughts. The lack of sleep was beginning to affect his waking brain, and now he had begun to see Aguk out of the corner of his eyes, hidden in shadows.

He knew the others worried about him, the same way he should be worried about himself, but he had found control in keeping himself awake and staving off the nightmares. It had made him feel like he had power back, power that had been stolen from him by the sadistic alien. Though he did not understand it, that same obsession with control was what had him in the state he was currently in. His body was weak, under nourished, and over worked from his constant need to move to stay awake. The caffeine did nothing for him now, but he continued to consume it. Now, more recently, his mind had begun playing tricks on him, and the terrors he faced while asleep had begun to show themselves when he was awake too. He knew the monster was dead, but that did not stop him from plaguing Peter all the time now.

He had been thinking about these hallucinations when a hand grabbed him, keeping him from moving further. Peter was not in the best head space and he looked down at the alien holding on to him, a strong looking humanoid with blue-gray skin and a cruel smirk on his face. Trying to pull his arm out of this things grasp only made him tighten his grip, and Peter began to feel his breath pick up. He had to get out of here, before he began to panic.

"How much for the sexy little Terran?" the alien asked nobody in particular, and Peter froze. No longer was he looking at the person gripping his arm, but at the tiger faced being that haunted him. He tried to scramble backwards but the grip was not loosening, why was this happening? Where was anyone? Why was he alone again facing this beast? As soon as the panic truly began to set in, Peter heard a different voice.

"Unhand him," it ordered, and Peter knew that voice this time. Looking away from the face of the one holding him, Peter saw Drax next to him. He saw how cold his teammates eyes were, but not cold towards him.

Behind the alien a knife slipped around to rest at his throat, a green hand holding it steady. "Do as the man says and you may live," Gamora growled.

"I can't help that I've always been interested in Terran's, you don't see many out here," grumbled the alien as he released Peter.

As soon as his arm was free Peter staggered backwards, straight in to Drax who had moved to keep him from falling.

Rocket moved between the two of them and the now angry looking alien, gun raised, and snarled. "Keep your greasy filthy hands to yourself, if you know what's good for you."

As he watched all of this Peter realized he did not have to do this alone. Sure, that was what they had been trying to tell him all along, but he was used to being alone. Before this team he had never had anyone else, not even Yondu would have defended him the way they were in that moment. Taking a couple of steadying breaths he moved away from his friend, his family, and stood upright. For the first time in a long time, he felt okay. Not great, but okay, like he could stand on his own two feet again and maybe move forward with his friends at his side.

Friends. Family. They were one and the same here. Taking a shaky breath, he nodded to Gamora who signaled Rocket to stand down while she moved back, removing the knife from the alien's throat. "Let's get our job done so we can get back to doing what we do best."

"Trying to keep you from self-imploding?" Rocket asked his friend, looking over his shoulder at him.

A few moments ago that would have probably been a mental blow to the ex-ravager, but now he ignored the raccoon. This would not be an easy, journey, but they could do it together. Peter could heal, if they were together.

"No, guarding the galaxy."