Chapter Four

"It's… quaint. Very humble, it reminds me of the abodes our hermits would reside in when they grew weary of society and forsook all ties to wealth and the joys of life." It had only been five seconds and Peter was already regretting every single life decision that led him to this point. With him and Thor standing side by side, staring at the beat up, rusted trailer that was his current abode. It was currently unhitched and resting fully on the dusty ground, the blue and orange paint long since chipped away and cracked. It wasn't very large at all, but it was more than enough for him, it's not like he needed a lot of space.

"Dude," Peter sighed, looking at Thor. His day was finally coming to an end, and any and all energy he had left to argue and antagonize the other had all but left him. He rubbed a hand over his face and started to march up to his trailer.

"We'll be back tonight! Get some rest!" Jane called from the van, waving at them.

"Yeah! Don't kill each other!" Darcy shouted afterwards, Thor responded with laughter.

"I won't hurt him, I promise."

"You couldn't even if you tried." Peter muttered, he waved his hand behind him in a lazy farewell, not even bothering to turn around as he kicked the door open to his trailer. It got stuck on the hinge and required a little extra 'oomph' to get it to open. Inside the trailer wasn't much better than out, clothes were strewn around the place, empty boxes of take out and dishes littering the countertop. At least it didn't smell. The carpet was old and matted, and the cabinets needed to be varnished but all said and done, home was home.

"The hermits tend to their abode far better than you do." Peter squawked when Thor's voice rumbled behind him, suddenly a lot closer than he remembered.

"Don't do that! I'm going to put a bell on you!"

"I am not some maiden who puts bells in her hair, you will do no such thing."

"Whatever! Stop insulting my home, if you don't like it there's a nice bush for you to rest your head on outside!"

"That sounds more tolerable."

Peter threw his hands in the air and turned his back on Thor again, he went around and started to pick up some stray clothes. Pants, jackets, underwear. Throwing them off towards the back of the trailer where the only two divided rooms were, the bathroom and the 'master suite'.

"What are you doing? That is the only bed, yes? I will be taking that room."

"Like hell you will! That's my room! Mine! You can't have it!" Peter turned to glare up at Thor, the larger looked amused again, that shit eating smirk across his features as he saw Peter's outburst as adorable.

"Have you no respect for your guests? You should tend to their needs, surely this is common practice across the Nine Realms."

"There's a bed out here you can have! You're not taking my room!" Peter grabbed the cushions, tossing the seats to the side and yanking on the contraption underneath. It unfolded outwards, into a small, but functioning bed. Peter held out both hands out towards the bed, "ta da!"

Thor was unimpressed, "you aren't serious are you? I can't fit on that."

Peter ground his teeth together, running a hand over his face and decided to ignore that. He pushed past Thor, already feeling overwhelmed by how close the two were in such a small space. This was made for one person, not two fully grown men. "You're going to fit on it, or you're going to sleep outside. I don't care which." He returned from the back of the trailer with fresh sheets, glad he'd washed them after his last trieste, sometimes they could get a little… funky. "And if you don't like that, I don't give a fuck!"

Thor was still staring at him with that unimpressed look, his lips pursed together in mild irritation as he crossed his large arms over his chest. "You're not a very good host."

"I made your fucking bed for you your highness!" Peter couldn't help the poison that dripped from the word 'highness'. Secretly hoping that Thor would suddenly choke and die from the venom in his tone. "Sleep tight!" He pushed past the other one more time but was stopped by a large hand that grabbed him by his forearm, yanking him back with ease.

"It is the middle of the day, you can not mean to go to sleep now."

"Dude, if you come at me one more time over anything I will shoot you. I have been up for nearly a full day, I've been inside some freak fucking storm, and have been dealing with you for several hours too long. I'm going to bed, do whatever the fuck you want, just don't ruin my home or run off!"

Thor's face twisted in distaste and he released the other. "I am not some child to be scolded, if I wish to leave I will do so."

"Good luck getting home then, go on then! Door's right there!" Peter said, stomping back to his room, "now leave me alone!" He slammed the door shut and closed his eyes, slumping against it, exhaustion hitting him. He'd been up for far, far too long. After a few moments of silence Peter heard the other moving around. His steps were thunderous in the silence. He didn't hear Thor open the front door, instead listening to the shrill shrieks of metal as the other must have sat on the pull out bed. Peter released a frustrated noise and pushed off from the door.

Never once had his own bed looked so comfortable, the sheets were splayed haphazardly across the mattress and his pillows were strewn over the place. They were relatively clean, or at least clean enough that he didn't care. Peter started to pull off the pieces of his clothing, jacket, shirt, pants, until he stood there in a pair of boxer briefs. After gathering all of his clothes he tossed them into the small pile to the side, promising to himself he'd wash them later, later never really did come until he was out of clean clothes though.

He sat on the edge of the bed, mulling over the events of today before he grabbed his cassette player from where he had just tossed it onto the bed. Across from him, just under the window, was a ledge full of music players, radios, portable CD players, and even a few iPods and Zunes. He had kept every single one from childhood, though he always came back to the cassette player in his hands. It was his most cherished possession, the only thing in his trailer that mattered, even over himself.

He set it in the middle of all the other devices, on a little raised pedestal that was built into the ledge. And with one last listen out into the living room to see if Thor was still shuffling about Peter threw himself back on his bed. Satisfied that the other wasn't going to rip his trailer apart he pulled just the sheet up and over him. It was getting too hot now that the day was upon them, pulling a pillow to his chest he curled around and tried to relax.

Except now his mind was racing, with the possibilities of what Thor might be, what it might mean if what he said was true. Groaning into his bed he flipped over onto his other side, pulling another pillow under his head. Thor scared him. It was that simple, everything about him was disturbing in one way or another. Either he was lying and this man seriously needed some help, and all Jane was doing was enabling his delusional fantasy, which was terrible. Or, even worse, he was a Norse God.

The thought alone made Peter's heart race, was he going to hell for bickering with the God of Thunder? Grabbing the pillow he slapped it over his face and released a muffled, frustrated scream into it. Laying there, with a pillow over his face, and after a few moments of screaming, he finally let himself relax. He slumped into his bed and fell asleep several moments later to the quiet shuffling of Thor as he got comfortable in the living room.

Peter awoke with a half snore as his bleary eyes opened to the darkness in the room, the sheet he slept in was twisted around his waist and legs. All but one pillow was thrown to the ground during his sleep. Half-asleep and exhausted still Peter rolled back over when he heard a noise. Footsteps in his trailer and opening his cabinets. His eyes opened wide and he grabbed the pistol on his night stand. He threw himself off the bed, which was a bad idea considering he landed face first on the ground because he was still tangled in his sheets. He recovered quickly and threw his bedroom door open, pistol raised.

"Hands up mother fucker!" He yelled into the room, where Thor was seated on the edge of his table, shirtless, eating a bowl of cereal.

Thor didn't even look bothered, peering at Peter while the other slowly seemed to remember what had happened. "Chilly?" He rumbled, bringing another spoonful to his mouth.

Peter was confused, pistol still raised, then everything hit him at once and he lowered his gun with a loud, exhausted groan. "It wasn't a dream, holy damn." He said, before he registered the other's question. "No, why would I be chilly?" Thor didn't answer him, but his eyes made a slow up and down of him before meeting his gaze.

"I've seen more impressive physiques on our women."

"Agh!" Peter squawked, a sound he was starting to make on a regular basis, realizing he was still in his underwear. "Give me a reason I shouldn't shoot you right now!" Peter demanded, tempted to raise his gun back up, turning back to his room and slamming the door shut.

"Because you walked away?" Was Thor's muffled response from the main room. It was followed shortly by laughter as Peter roared in his room, throwing something that thumped against the wall. Moments passed and Peter exited the room again, fully dressed and his pistol left behind in the bedroom. He shuffled around the small vanity outside the bathroom for a moment, brushing his teeth, applying deodorant, the entire time ignoring Thor's mirthful gaze. It was only when he grabbed the keys to his truck that Thor perked up.

"Where are we going?" He asked brightly, grabbing the shirt he had discarded to sleep and slipping back into it.

"I am going out. You're staying here."
"Mm, I don't think so." Thor looked at him with a shit eating grin.

"Hey! You're not the one calling the shots here! I am! So sit down, be good and I'll be back in a few hours."

"Alright," Thor responded easily, a little too easily. Peter squinted at him, peering warily at the other, looking for some kind of trap. When the other just returned his stare Peter made for the door. "Although, it would be a shame if… something were to happen here." Peter stopped in his tracks.

"Excuse me? Are you threatening me?"

"Oh no! Of course not Peter!"
"It's Quill to you!" Peter growled, crossing his arms over his chest, the other raised his hands in surrender.

"Quill then, and no I'm not threatening you. I'm just stating that I am rather curious about all this stuff here. Nothing here is like it is back home. Or I could wander off and Lady Jane would be so fraught with anger if I were to be gone. Left unsupervised it would surely be your fault."

Peter groaned, loudly again, another noise that was popping up with too much frequency these days.

Thor just stared with bright eyes and a huge smile, "so, where are we going?"

Peter had never once in his entire life wanted to kill one person more than he wanted to murder Thor. "Hurry up! If you're not in the truck by the time I turn it on I'm leaving your ass here, your curiosity be damned!" Peter had to kick his door open again and stepped out into the cool night air. The stars twinkled overhead and the door behind him was shut soon after, Peter led Thor to the equally beat up truck on the side of his trailer.

It took a few tries to get the engine to turn but once it did it was smooth sailing from there. Peter ignored Thor, and the other was too busy staring out the window at nothing. There was only rolling hills and sparse vegetation out here, though there was a certain beauty in the desert. The night sky spread as far as the eye could see and in the distance darkened shapes of plateaus and undulations in the ground stood out like dark silhouettes against the horizon.

It was a short drive into town, but the silence was becoming too much for Peter, he reached into the console between them and pulled out an old cassette and put it in the player. Thor watched him curiously, and soon music started to play through the worn down speakers. The quality was terrible, but there was a certain warmth to the old cassette and equally old speakers, well loved and well used by all its previous owners and Peter more than any of them. The music was light and fun, a timeless classic.

"This song is pleasant." Thor spoke after several moments of just listening, staring at the orange light coming from the radio and dashboard. "What is it called?"

"Seven Wonders, by Fleetwood Mac, and yeah this is a classic dude." Peter answered, watching the other with the corner of his eye.

"Her voice is angelic." Thor hummed and Peter turned to look at him, he looked calmer, more relaxed. He dropped that pompous and arrogant smile and just stared at the music player like he was in awe. Peter stared at him for a moment, before smiling and returning his attention to the road.

"There's nothing like this back on Asgard, we sing hymns to cherish the fallen over the many millennia Asgard has ruled the Nine Realms." And just like that it was ruined and Peter sighed in frustration.

"Whatever dude." Thor looked at him, his brow scrunching in irritation. He didn't respond and leaned back, turning his attention back out the window. Only the music spoke between them as they made their way into town and soon arrived at the only bar in town. "Alright, play it cool, no weird Asgard and Bifrost shit while we're here."

Thor didn't respond to him, distracted by the bright neon lights that hung above the entryway and in the windows. A look of wonder on his face.

"Dude, calm down it's not a titty bar jeez." He said rolling his eyes he walked into the bar to see it full of regulars, hell, he was one of them at this point. The same old grizzled alcoholics and sad piss poor people that frequented this joint every night. Peter never felt more at home than when he was surrounded by the rough and tumble of society.

Leaving Thor at the doorway he went right to the bar, Kelli was manning it today. She gave him a brilliant smile and a single nod. Returning moments later with a whiskey sour. She was busy and didn't stick around to talk but he looked around, the place wasn't dirty, but it wasn't clean either, Peter thought of it as homey and lived in. The floors were concrete and the red finish was coming up in several places. The walls had wooden panels on them and decorated with various pictures and memorabilia from around the states.

Thor came up to join him moments later and was eyeing his drink with a slightly covetous look in his eyes.

"Nope! Get your own!" He flagged down Kelli again, "can you get him a tall beer, just whatever you got on draft."

"Comin' right up darlin'." She responded with another warm, blinding smile and Thor smiled back at her. With a beer in hand he looked around the bar and tapped his foot to the music. It was jukebox night and everyone was putting a little money in to play their favorite songs.

"Do you come here often Quill?"

Peter turned to stare at Thor arching a brow, "are you coming onto me dude?"

"Coming onto you?"

"Hitting on me? Flirting?"

"Absolutely not! I would never find myself with such a weak creature." Thor snorted after a moment, apparently finding the entire idea preposterous. Peter stared at him and his jaw dropped to the ground.

"Fuck you dude!" Thor just smiled that same shit eating grin and looked away from him, his eyes dancing over the floor. Peter fumed silently next to him and took another sip of his drink. It was then he heard the door open, the little bell above it ringed and Peter looked over and what he saw made ice course through his veins.

His breath stopped in his throat and he blinked, did they find him already? Thor noticed, looking at him with an arched brow. "Quill? Is something amiss?"

Peter swallowed thickly, his throat tight with anxiety, "they found me."

Author's Note: Sorry for the late night update my loves! Work has been kicking me right in the butt this weekend and I wanted to make sure I got this out before the next week! We made it by the way, our very first 10k words! I hope you all enjoyed this Chapter, and the song featured in this Chapter is Seven Wonders by Fleetwood Mac, give it a listen if you haven't already! I hope you all enjoy my miniature cliffhanger, now you all must wait to see who is after Peter Quill! Muhahahaha! Until next time!

-Rezzo