When Rocket strode out of the cockpit to inform Loki that the Benetar was nearing Earth's atmosphere, it was to find the pair apparently deep in conversation.

Groot had his head propped up on the table, situated right between the Asgardian's feet. "I am Groot," he intoned, concern ringing through the syllables.

It seemed that the Asgardian wasn't keen on being worried about, or else didn't quite know how accept sympathy, because he visibly shifted away from that topic, making it clear he didn't wish to delve on his less-than-ideal state with a tired sigh, "Yes, well, you wouldn't look your best either if you were blown to pieces." Rocket bit back a growl. Before he could jump in, Groot clambered up onto the table, his chattering taking on a note of annoyance. As he spoke, Loki's eyebrows raised. "Oh, is that so? How very unfortunate."

Groot seemed torn on how to interpret that before ultimately letting it go with a shrug.

Catching himself staring, Rocket smacked his paws against his cheeks to mentally get into gear, straightened, then strode into the lounge area, making his presence known to the jumpy alien with an intentionally casual, "You can speak Groot?"

He had a feeling the Asgardian knew he'd been dilly-dallying around the corner, anyway.

And as if to confirm his suspicions, Loki answered the query with an airy wave of his hand, "It was an elective." Rocket was tempted to ask if he was lying down still because he physically couldn't sit up or because he thought he'd been a Caesar in a past life, but decided against it. Didn't exactly take a genius to know better than to poke and prod a fella when they were out of sorts.

Rocket waited for him to elaborate for about a minute, during which he watched a contemptible smirk creep up his perfect porcelain face.

Glad somebody was having a laugh.

With some effort, Rocket shook it off. It wasn't like he hadn't been worse company on better days.

Frowning as he watched Groot wander off, not doubt to return to his game console, he observed, "You're pretty careful with your words, aren't you?"

For the first time since he'd woken up, the Asgardian looked genuinely startled. "What?"

"You said it's an elective," Rocket shrugged, "but not that you took it. Any particular reason for that?"

"I didn't… I just…" A bluish tint crept into his skin, scarlet bled into his irises, but both were gone so quickly Rocket could almost convince himself he'd imagined it, "picked it up to help someone I knew study." As though consumed by memories, he continued distantly, "He never seemed to remember what he read, and often got bored. I thought maybe if he had a partner…"

Rocket stopped him there. "Hold on, so you were like a study buddy?" He crossed arms over his chest, watching with satisfaction as the alien refocused on him. "For a class you weren't even taking? What a weird way to spend your time."

The Asgardian bristled. "It had it's own merits."

"Yeah, I bet." Outside the window, a blue sphere could be seen growing larger by the second. "Anyway, we'll be landing in New York soon. Try to hold on to something," Rocket advised. "There's a storm brewing down there with winds that might do a number on the flight path if Quill doesn't remember to compensate."

"Really?" Loki replied, somehow drawing two syllables into three.

"What? You like thunderstorms or something?"

To his relief, the Asgardian actually sat up at that, throwing his legs over the side to stretch what Rocket suspected was new muscle. "You could say I've recently rediscovered a certain fondness for them."

"Can't say I've ever been much of a fan of them." He gestured towards his head. "Thunder hurts my ears, you know?"

"Yes, well…" a flicker of what Rocket thought was fear crept into his expression. The Asgardian reached up to touch the bruises on his neck, before breaking the contact with a violence that suggested the movement hadn't been conscious, "I suppose it's not to everyone's taste."

Rushing to fix his mistake, Rocket blurted, "Lightning's cool, though- Ah. Hey, are you going to be okay?" Though he'd told Quill he'd only be a second so he could help with the entry into Earth's atmosphere, it seemed like taking a step backwards or showing any sign that he didn't want to be there would only worsen the situation as it stood, so he stood his ground. Listened.

Unfortunately, it seemed the Asgardian was done sharing. "Thank you for your concern," Rocket nodded slowly, taking it for the dismissal it was, "but I'll be fine, rabbit." He paused on the way to the cockpit, opened his mouth with a single finger raised, glanced over his shoulder at the forlorn alien staring off into space, then closed his jaw with a snap. The Asgardian chuckled, the sound empty and surprisingly bitter. "I am always am."

Shaking his head at what a disaster that had been once he was out of eyesight, Rocket slapped a paw against the door switch, darting inside the cockpit before it was even fully open.

He didn't believe what Loki had said about being fine for a second, but it wasn't like the lie was meant for him, anyway.

"Hey, Quill?" He asked once he was situated in his seat. The Earth consumed their vision, looming huge and breathtakingly beautiful. He could see why Quill loved it so much. "Are we really just gonna drop him off like this?"

Quill glanced at him after a beat, visibly reluctant to take his eyes off his home planet. "What else can we do? We have to go after Thanos." Though he said that, Rocket had gotten pretty good at reading him over the years. Quill hated this as much as he did. Still, it was a captain's decision to make the hard calls, so Rocket didn't call him on it.

Instead, he gripped the control sticks in his paws, and got to work on incorporating the storm winds into their calculated path for entry.

A/N: Next chapter, Loki shows up at Strange's sanctum uninvited. But it's okay because he has a permit.