And here is chapter 2.
I hope ya'll like it :)
I am sorry for the long wait this time.
I had to take a break from this site for quit some time, but now I am back and I try to update this a bit faster now.
Hope you still enjoy this story^^
Chapter 2
Slowly his feet moved over the metal floor.
A light flickered in front of him, making the corridor look even more sinister. But Yondu was not scared. He had already given away such feelings a long, long time ago. Or at least he thought so, but deep inside he knew he was just repressing all his feelings. You couldn't shake feelings off...unless you were a robot...or a cyborg...then maybe it would be possible to get rid of any feelings.
He shook his head to banish those thoughts and he quickened his pace a little.
On his way, he met no one, which was perhaps better for him, because no one had to see it, how he paid Peter a small visit. It would only set off the rumor mill anyway and he wanted to avoid that at all costs, so he made sure that no one else was present and could watch him, before he pressed the button that led into the caboose and only seconds later the heavy metal door closed behind him.
As Yondu entered the dimly lit room, he found Peter sitting at one of the tables, his face buried in his arms, which he had folded onto the table and a soft sob cut the silence. The cleaning utensils, which he had previously given him, lay carelessly beside him on the floor and a sigh poured over the Captain's lips.
But he had to admit, as he looked around briefly: The caboose had never been so clean before...
He had almost grinned at this thought, but he kept himself from doing so and slowly he approached Peter and the boy flinched, when Yondu gently put his hand onto his shoulder and when he looked up, it felt like a sword blade cutting through Yondu's heart. The boy's eyes were red and tears rolled down his flushed cheeks and he desperately tried to suppress his sobs, but failed at that.
The Centaurian wanted to say something, but no word left his lips. He just stared at the Terran and the boy stared back at him, crying, until he couldn't stand his gaze anymore and he turned his face away from him.
"What do you want? Did you come here to make fun of me? Or to punish me even more? I scrubbed your stupid floors! What else do you want from me?"
The boy's voice trembled, clearly showing Yondu how much he tried to regain control over his feelings and not to show his "weakness" in front of him, but he didn't succeed. And how should he do this? The little one was not even ten Terran years old. He was still a small child, not a warrior who managed to hide his feelings. And if Yondu was honest, he didn't want Peter to be like him...or any of the other Ravagers. Everyone on this ship had their own terrible story to tell and each of them had learned to hide his true feelings from prying eyes. Everyone did this in their own way. Some wrapped themselves in silence, others put on a hard facade and others hid their feelings behind anger and violence. And Yondu wanted to prevent that Peter would turn into such a monster too.
He was still a kid and he was supposed to behave like one!
Therefore, the Centaurian decided to take the boy to his quarters, because they urgently needed to talk privately. Whether the boy liked it or not. He didn't care. Therefore, he grabbed the shoulder of the little Terran and turned him gently, but still determined around on his chair, so that he had to look at him, but Peter continued to turn his face away from him, which made Yondu growl softly and he grabbed his chin with his free hand and forced his head back.
"What's wrong with ya? Why are ya crying?" he asked, his voice sounding stern and almost cold. Something he didn't intend to do, but it was all so new to him and it was hard for him not to let the brutal space pirate hang out when he was alone with Peter. He immediately regretted his keen tone, as he saw Peter flinching from his harsh words and how more tears rolled down his cheeks.
"Leave me alone!" the boy growled and he tried to free his face from his grip, but he couldn't and so he just closed his eyes defiantly.
Yondu took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves down.
Had he been told how difficult that would be...
No, he would have kept Peter with him despite everything.
He just had to get used to it and he had to give himself time.
He let go of his face and Peter thought he had won, but the moment he opened his eyes, he saw Yondu reaching out to him and a startled outcry broke out of his throat, as the Ravager just grabbed him under his arms, picked him up and then threw him over his shoulder.
"Hey! What the hell are you doing? Let me go! Immediately!" he hissed, pounding his fists against Yondu's back again and again, but the pirate wasn't bothered by that in the slightest.
"If ya want to hurt me, ya have to come up with something better, kid," he said and Peter thought he could hear the hint of a small grin in his voice, which only fueled the fire of rage in his belly, but he could squirm and beat him as often as he wanted to.
Yondu didn't let go of him.
They stepped through the door and out into the dark corridor and Yondu headed towards his quarters. On the way they met some crewmembers, who looked after them, chuckling evilly. Apparently, they thought that Yondu was bringing the kid to his quarters to give him a proper beating. Spiteful bastards!
Still, Yondu couldn't deny that he was feeling slight remorse, because he was not entirely innocent and he didn't like remembering the first combat training sessions. He'd beaten Peter up pretty hard at the time, leaving many bruises and wounds on his small body, because he had fought with him, as he had done it when he had to fight in the Kree's battle arenas so many years ago. But even that was in the past now and the combat training wasn't as hard as before. Still, it was still too hard for Peter, because he could barely fight back or block his attacks, no matter how much Yondu tried to teach him. The boy didn't want to fight, but he had to. The galaxy was cold and merciless and if you couldn't fight, you would die in the stars. Yondu would train with him until Peter could defend himself; whether he wanted it or not!
But today he wouldn't be thinking of something like that.
No, today the Ravager just wanted to know what was wrong with him, even if he could already imagine the reason for Peter's grief.
When they arrived at the captain's quarters and stepped inside, Yondu locked the door behind him, so no one could come in and interrupt them and he just threw Peter onto his bed. Then he grabbed a chair, turned it over and sat down on it, resting his arms on the back of the chair. Silently, he looked at Peter, as he sat up and coldly returned his gaze.
"Ya can be mad at me, boy. Ya can also keep trying to kill me with yer looks. Ya ain't be able to do that anyway and we ain't leaving this room until ya finally tell me what's wrong with ya, because this ain't the first time I've seen ya crying. So, spit it out: what's wrong with ya?"
The boy sniffled and wiped some tears from his face, before glaring at Yondu again.
"What does it matter to you how I feel?"
"It matters a lot to me, or would I have asked ya otherwise? And now tell me!"
"No!"
"Peter!"
Oh, oh!
How long had it been since Yondu had called him by his full name? It was a very, very long time ago and Peter knew that the Centaurian wouldn't accept another "no!" Still...he didn't want to tell him what was going on. It didn't interest him anyway...right?
"It's nothing...really...I'm fine..." he murmured, not daring to look at the Ravager.
"You're lying," was Yondu's answer and his red eyes continued to fix the boy and he could see how uncomfortable the whole situation was for him, but he didn't care. If he wanted to help him, the little Terran had to tell him what was wrong with him. And maybe, just maybe, he could really help him then.
"So what? Even if it were so...you can't help me!" Peter growled and finally he looked at him. But instead of looking into an angry face, he saw how Yondu's features even relaxed and a strange look appeared in his eyes.
Almost as if he felt sorry for him...
"If ya don't tell me what's wrong with ya, how do ya know I can't help ya? Ya won't even let me try it."
His voice was soft and almost gentle and even the grim look on Peter's own face faded and gave way to surprise. Since when was Yondu so meek towards him?
Well, that didn't matter.
It probably meant nothing either way.
Still...his words didn't go pass him and Peter really thought about opening his mouth and finally telling him the reason why he cried. There had been something in Yondu's voice that told him that the Centaurian had experienced a lot of bad stuff himself and that he knew how he felt in this moment. Peter still shuddered when he looked at the long scars on his face and who knew if those were the only scars on his body?
He had often wondered where Yondu had gotten these scars from, but he hadn't had the courage to ask him where he got them from.
Maybe this was the perfect opportunity now?
He was silent for a while, seemed to be thinking and Yondu was watching him all the time. No emotion went through his body. He just sat there, his head resting on his arms, patiently waiting for Peter to finally open his mouth and talk about the things that were bothering him.
And in fact he finally started talking, but it weren't the words Yondu had wanted to hear from him.
"Fine. I'll tell you everything, but I have a few conditions."
The kid had conditions for him, the Captain himself?
What a brave little one...
Yondu almost grinned, but he kept himself from doing so.
"What conditions, kid?"
Peter sat up, craning his chest forward, trying to look braver and more determined, but he looked rather miserable in the Ravager's eyes, but he was careful not to say those words out loud.
"First, you don't tell anyone about it!"
Just how he emphasized these words...almost as if he was one of them. Interesting…
"I ain't saying anything, kid. Why should I?"
"Because maybe you'll be happy about it if the others make fun of me?"
Yondu grimaced.
"When have I ever done such a thing?"
The boy opened his mouth, wanted to answer something, but he quickly closed it again, because he couldn't think of an answer.
"Actually never..." he murmured and his cheeks turned slightly pink. He quickly cleared his throat, trying to get rid of the blush on his face, before looking Yondu straight in the eyes.
"What is yer second condition, boy?"
Now or never…
"When I tell you about my problems, I want you to tell me where you got those weird looking scars from."
The Centaurian raised an eyebrow as he heard these words and he thought about it for a moment, then just shrugged his shoulders and nodded, when he replied with a simple "okay," which threw Peter so off track, that he didn't know what he should say now.
And that was the moment when Yondu couldn't hold back his grin anymore.
"That's not funny!" the boy said, but the blue man only grinned wider.
"I think the look on yer face is pretty funny."
Shortly afterward, Yondu got up from his chair and put it back at the table, before moving toward his bed and sitting down next to Peter. The grin had disappeared from his face as quickly as it had come and had given way to a serious expression.
"And now tell me why you are so sad, boy," he said and Peter knew that he now had to tell him; whether he wanted it or not.
What had he just got himself into?
He hated to talk about his past, but maybe Yondu was right and he could really help him?
And maybe it was good to talk to somebody about what happened on earth?
There was only one way to find that out and he had to open his mouth now and find the courage to utter the words that had been tormenting him for so long.
And besides: What kind of a miserable pirate he would be, if he didn't even have the courage to talk about his past?
He took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves down, before turning his head, looking Yondu straight in the eye and opening his mouth.
And then he told him everything...