The Misadventures of Fang Udonta

Chapter 2

Peter's mother dropped with shock and the realisation hit, and he began to squirm. "I left Fang on the M-Ship, get him back, get him back please daddy". Pete was lost in panic, and Kraglin tried to intervene as gently as he could.

"We can't do that Peter, if you left him on the M-Ship, then you have to hope he's still there". Which in hindsight was an idiotic thing to say.

However, Peter was only four and logic dictated that he didn't understand.

"No, I want Fang, I want Fang, please get him back daddy". Peter demanded and his face begun to turn red, as he wiggled from Yondu's lap to stand on the floor and turned to him, his fist clenched,

"Get Fang back daddy, I want Fang now".

Yondu wasn't used to being yelled at, especially not by his own child, and just folded his arms, and looked down at his boy.

"No Peter, the crew are on a dangerous mission, and I can't call them back, and I won't."

"Noooo", Peter screamed and with a clenched fist hit Yondu in the kneecap and he stamped his foot, "I want Fang now". Peter demanded, which since Peter was only four, Yondu didn't even flinch.

"Well that too bad, you should have been more careful and not left him on the M-Ship", Yondu said flatly, as Peter now understood that his parents didn't care about Fang, and run crying from the bridge.

The sight of a four-year-old running through the decks drew the Ravagers attention, and there was already several of them in the mess hall when Peter burst through the door crying for Iztel.

Iztel was nice, Iztel was the cook and Iztel would understand. Was Peter's logic, while Horuz who had finally removed himself from the old bridge, and was about to take a plate of stew from the Ravager MasterChef, when Peter ran in sobbing.

"Iztel, Iztel, my daddies won't let me get Fang". Peter managed to say between sobs, while Kraglin who had decided to leave the bridge come into the room and just watched as his son explained through the tears.

"My…daddies…are…mean…I…left…fang…in the M-Ship…my…daddies won't let me get him".

Iztel had zero authority on the Elector, aside from being Peter's tutor and the main cook for the place, but he tried to understand as gently as he could.

"Then you're going to have to wait to get him".

"No", Peter screamed as he tried to get them to understand, Fang needed him Fang would all be scared and alone.

"Please Iztel, tell my daddies to go get Fang". Peter tearfully demanded, and Iztel's just shook his head, since he didn't have the authority, and Peter cried harder.

"I want Fang" Peter cried, while Kraglin, just folded his arms.

"Well that's too bad, you'll see Fang in a few days, you have other toys to play with Peter" Informed Kraglin already sick of this conversation.

"But they're not Fang you have to get him back for me daddy please."

"I'm not doing that Peter, I guess the moral of this, is that you should have taken better care of him".

Peter tearstained face just glared at his daddy, and Kraglin continued. "This is a working ship Peter, all the crew have jobs, and I'm not interrupting them from doing theirs because of you".

Iztel and Horuz just watched this unfold, secretly impressed by this, as was Yondu who was observing this over the monitor. However Peter wasn't and just glared at Kraglin sniffing back tears until he realised, he wasn't going to get this own way.

Instead the four-year-old turned his back to Kraglin, and walked over to his small area, and plonked himself down on the ground, ignoring him and sulking.

"Iztel, keep an eye on him, would ya," Kraglin said making way to back to the bridge, and was greeted with Yondu just sitting in his Captain's chair, just chucking.

"I really thought you would let him wrap you around his little bastard finger," Yondu said, as Kraglin slid back into his seat, and run a hand through his hair.

"Believe me, I got no pleasure from that, I know he's gonna sulk until they get back". Replied Kraglin, and it was only an inkling to how the next few days went.

For Peter, being only four, he knew he wasn't going to get his own way, and eventually, his tears stopped thanks to the smell of the delicious food Iztel was cooking, so he got up to help, though he was quiet, which was a little bit unnerving for the MasterChef.

Thankfully dinner went smoothly, but Peter didn't take much pride in helping with the cooking like he usually did, and was still sulking when Yondu and Kraglin washed and put him to bed. But even then Peter was a bit restless, he was so used to cuddling Fang, that it was almost impossible to be without him. He knew if he cried his daddies would just ignore him, so didn't instead he was sullen and silent. Peter didn't mean to be, but he was little and didn't know how else to handle his emotions.

Peter was even more silent the next day, but still helped Iztel with the cooking and his lessons, but standing next to the old Ravager, helping him stir the large cooking pot like Peter just exhaled and said out loud.

"I miss Fang", Peter stated causing the Ravager to turn around. "I know you do, but he'll be back soon, and just imagine the adventure would have had" that answer seemed to satisfy Peter until he then said

"I miss the Von Spiers and Proctom too", which Iztel understood completely.

It had only been less than two days, but it was already having an effect on MasterChef, who was already so used to having the younger Ravager by his side.

"Yeah I miss him too, it's too quiet without him, and I could really use my Assistant about now", in truth Iztel was so used to Proctom's presence, he had already called out for the lad a few times, before remembering he wasn't there. He was also used to what was once his own personal quarters being shared and helping with the Ravager with his lessons. He wouldn't admit it, but he felt a stab of pride with Proctom managed to read and spell something correctly, and knew he was more proficient at his job because of it.

"Yeah, I know, but he'll be back soon, and then you can tell him how good you've been helping do his job" Iztel informed the four-year-old who just nodded in response. "He will be back won't he?" Peter said, and Iztel didn't know how to respond to that, there were so many variables, and no one was telling Peter that they were on several various dangerous missions, so he just didn't, and just hoped like the four-year-old was.

Peter's quietness was becoming apparent though, when after carrying three canisters to the Bridge, he found the area deserted apart from Horuz who was in his own chair, just looking over the stars flying by.

"Horuz, where are my daddies", Peter asked initially confused, since he expected them to be in their seats, which they usually were when he brought up their coffee.

"Talking to a contact, Peter, and they can't be disturbed". Peter made his way to his daddy. Yondu gloried office, which was sealed shut. But had glass in sections so he could see both his parents speaking to someone on the screen who he didn't know.

But the voices were raised and they were both searing using all the bad words, that he wasn't allowed to use, and most people didn't use around him, but it looked serious. So perhaps they were talking to the nasty Nova Corps, Pete decided, and turned back, but not before giving Horuz his coffee, and putting Yondu and Kraglin's in their seat.

Without his parents, Peter was at a loss at what to do, and just fixed his eyes onto Horuz, and without even asking scrambled into the Ravagers lap.

Horuz who was about to rip open his coffee instead placed it at this side, and tried to hide how irritated he was about this.

Peter was just slumped against Horuz, leaving the second mate of the Ravagers at a loss at what to do, and just sighed to himself. "I miss Yarovesky", and for a moment Horuz was at a loss at what to say.

"Yeah, I get that", he could only say, and Peter continued.

"Yarovesky is nice, he tells me about all the stars, and to how to read star charts".

Horus just listened to the child, and he couldn't help feeling a stab in his own chest, no one knew they were sleeping together, and it was a casual thing which was only meant to be one night. Then a drunken hook up became a second, and now several months later it had almost become a routine of beer and sex and occasional violence between the pair.

Even though several times Yarovesky had pushed him away when Horus had tried to kiss him, deep in the moment. It was stupid, so stupid the way the Xandarian had somehow worked his way into Horuz's head, but at the same time, Horuz recalled during Day of Thanks when Horuz had cut the branch from the tree, after Peter's stupid request and wished for love.

Somehow it was after that that it seemed to get more serious with Yarovesky, even if things were fucked up between them.

"Yeah, it's too quiet without him" was all Horuz could say, and Peter just watched the stars fly by until he heard his daddies come out of the office, he noticed that they seemed angry at something, and it had to do with work.

"Finally got the result wanted, but that moron wanted to scr…mess us over". Yondu said noticing his son in the room, and he just took his coffee and sat down, as Horuz got up, and Peter slid to the ground.

"Right, well my shifts over, I was going to check the fuel compartments my M-Ship Peter…wanna come with me", Horus didn't know where that was coming from normally he didn't give two shits about the Elector's "precious cargo". But Peter's little face just nodded and lit up, and with a nod from Kraglin telling him it was alright to go, both of then disappeared down the stairs.

Yondu was a little pissed off at his negations, but turned to Kraglin "Has that happened before?" he asked, and Kraglin just shrugged but did observe the pair for the monitors a short while later. There was the second mate of the elector, explaining how the ships worked to Peter who may not have absorbed everything but was lapping up the information. Moments like this were rare, since Horuz though never openly disliked Peter at least not to Kraglin's and Yondu's faces, had never really interacted with him that much.

Kraglin couldn't shake his feeling off, even though Peter seemed happier with a face full of dirt, and collapsed into bed that night exhausted, after a bath and story, and Yondu was doing a bridge shift.

Since the others were off on the mission, all the rest of the crew were doing their jobs and repairs. Kraglin instead of going to sleep, stared at his sleeping son, with his blond hair all suck up at every angle, who was breathing gently in his dreams, and Kraglin left his living quarters and instead went down to the Mess Hall.

At that time of the evening, there was only Iztel doing the morning prep, and who didn't turn around when Kraglin walked in.

"Here to give me a hand lad", Iztel said, then stopped himself chuckling "Sorry Kraglin, too used to Proctom doing this with me, been a bit quiet without my Assistant". Suddenly Kraglin felt like a spare part on the ship which he bloody co-ran!

"Don't worry, I don't need a hand, was doing this for ages before he came along, just got too used to it…and it feels too quiet without my lad".

Iztel, poured two mugs of coffee and sitting down gestured for Kraglin to join him, and Kraglin took his seat, it was rare that he came up like this, and waited for the older Ravager to get settled, but still felt awkward.

"Should I have sent Proctom on the mission", fuck what a stupid opener, Kraglin thought, and Iztel just laughed.

"Fucking hell, yeah, his first mission in ages, on his own M-Ship…why should he buy it anyway, trust me. Look I'm worried about him, it's too quiet, I've become too reliant on him…but these last few months have been shitty as well for him, and this is going to help. Look, he's many things. He's a bomb maker, my assistant, the unofficial head of maintenance, and everything else in-between as well as helping Peter with his learning, since he's learning how to read, and pretty good at that too."

Iztel took a swig of his coffee and continued.

"The last few months, it's been going good…but. Look I don't know if it's down to his medication or new diet, but nights haven't been easy. He had a shitty life, we all know that, and to be honest, his nightmares…well put it this way."

Kraglin leaned forward, as Iztel carried on "I was woken up a few weeks ago, and Proctom was freaking out, I thought he was having a seizure, but in the end, I had to calm him down. When he was describing what was happening to him, and it was a dream. It was a fucking dream Kraglin, his past is so shitty that he had I think no imagination, and he lacked the ability to dream…that's got better by the way if you actually care".

Kraglin blinked, wondering where this was going, as Iztel carried on.

"So, after all this, after all, he's been through…you're fucked off because he can't be your son's sodding babysitter. You're an asshole Kraglin".

Ohh time for Kraglin to hear some home truths

To be continued x

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