Chapter Seven

Yondu was no stranger to unconsciousness normally from beatings or battles, but as he slowly opened his red eyes to see he had been stripped bare, with a sheet wrapped around him.

Drips were in his arms, keeping him living, the machines felt so loud in his ears, and his head was bios head throbbing, as he looked over the room to see Iztel and Horuz both slumped in chairs. Who roused when Yondu began to stir.

Gingerly, Iztel brushed the sleep from his eyes and straightened up in his chair. Whilst Horuz did the same, and Yondu noted that they were still wearing the clothes from before but looked scraggy with stubble on their faces.

"How long was I out for?" The words were thick in Yondu's mouth as Iztel got him a glass of water, and Iztel filled him in.

"Three days. Got to the med bay and fell, you were having seizures, it's that thing in your head, should have got an expert, but they managed to correct it, was piecing on some vein. Would have killed you. they got it working though. At least they think.

They considered taking it out, but they couldn't without it killing you, new tech after all. Stakar has your arrow, got it locked away". Iztel finished whilst Yondu just swallowed and found his words in a raw voice

"That bastard better give it back, but taking it out isn't easy, I think", Yondu's words were so thick and light so blinding, part of him wanted to go back to sleep, but he needed to know.

"Is Kraglin…". And the pair exchanged looks.

"He's in a bad way Yondu, he flatlined a few times, they brought him back, but he's in a coma, his body is a mess. Can't even breath for himself, right now It's hour to hour. The Ogord's haven't come down here, and Aleta can't show her face right now. Everyone's blaming her, won't say it to her face. But we all know, that's why we're here. Didn't trust her not to just kill Kraglin and let you die, haven't moved since then" Horuz explained.

"As they bloody should", whispered Yondu, and he felt like saying more, but darkness claimed him again, just as he said "Thanks, some sleep, you look like shit" to the pair, for stepping up when he couldn't, and his last thoughts were of Kraglin, before the blessed darkness.

When Yondu woke up again, Iztel and Horuz were nowhere to be seen, and from the clock, it said it was a few hours since he had passed out. Yondu did notice some of the veins and wires had been removed from his blue skin. So, at last, now he was better even with the light pain in his head.

In a separate room, where the more extreme cases were, there were sounds of machinery, and hissing as Yondu managed to bring his legs around and slowly got to his feet. Stopping for a moment to look in a small mirror that was in the med bay. His fin looked more settled and for the first time Yondu, really looked at it, at the curves against his flesh and realised that he looked like his father.

Banishing that thought and grabbing a tatty medical robe from the side, and wrapping it around his body carefully. Yondu walked with some caution to the door, and his breath caught in his throat.

There was Kraglin his face still a mess of cuts and bruises including one going down his right eye, and tubes and times all over his body, along with a breathing tube, that was moving in unison with the machines.

Kraglin's body was damp as if he was fighting off an infection. The only signal that there was some life left, was some twisting behind his sunken eyes.

He was in a coma, which meant that he could never wake up, he still could die like this, not knowing that had been rescued. Yondu took a seat, the medics wisely out of the room for this moment and took hold of Kraglin's hands which had nothing running through it.

Perhaps it was a reaction or not, but Kraglin's hand shifted slightly showing there was some life left as Yondu cleared his throat.

"Look…I know you, just come back. That's it, you're home now, just walk up". Sentiment wasn't Yondu's thing, but he had to say something and from the flicking on Kraglin's face, maybe that was enough.

Yondu wasn't sure how long he was there holding Kraglin's hand, Iztel and Horuz were yet to walk through the door. But there was more colour in Kraglin's face, as if he was fighting against the encroaching death.

"Always knew ya were a stubborn bastard". Yondu muttered more to himself but managed a small smile when he heard two familiar footsteps, one feminine and full of shit.

Yondu never released his hand of Kraglin's not caring how it looked, as Stakar and Aleta walked through the door, and for a moment there was silence admits the sound of the machines.

If they thought Yondu was going to turn round, well he wasn't going to give them the satisfaction, as Aleta cleared her throat.

"We decided to give him a chance, to see if he recovers". But in the ensuing silence, which Yondu expected to be filled by Stakar, but Yondu sensed how uncomfortable he was and fucking good.

However, the word, Stakar managed to find, "The information you gave us, was…beneficial. We know why the Kree are here, information, plans, schematics. Very useful. Perhaps see this as compensation".

Stakar was meant to be "He Who Knows", but to Yondu who he had promised the stars, a home and more, now truly realised it was all full of shit.

"Compensation, Regellen and Hoag are dead, Kraglin is in a coma, and you talk about compensation because I broke your stupid rules. Well, fuck the pair of you".

An outburst which caused then Aleta to gasp, since she wasn't expecting that and there was a moment whilst Stakar just collected his thoughts.

The part of his mind that wanted Yondu to be more independent and stand up to what was right, was something he ever imagined, he also never imagined that anger aimed at him, and for a moment he didn't know what to say.

But Yondu's word were having an impact on Aleta, who for some reason couldn't resist, twisting the knife a little bit more.

"Well, Kraglin has three days to walk up, if not we're turning off his life support".

If she was expecting a reaction from Yondu more in line for the Ravager to start begging for Kraglin's life. Which was someone of her rank expected, instead Yondu finally turned round to address the pair.

Never getting up, because he couldn't be bothered, and as he did so, noticing Horuz about to come not the room, his eyes widened at the statement, before he quickly disappeared.

Yondu smiled internally since now the crew would know of this in minutes, and any good favour Aleta had was slowly diminishing.

"What the hell happened to you Aleta, to turn you into such a tragic bitch, you will do anything to get rid of the evidence of your own stupid mistake. Kraglin's still here, still alive, and he's going to wake up.

You'll see, imagine what you will say then? Because this is your fault, both of you, could gone back, but no. I get it, wanting to make yourself like such top shit, and now.

Because he's going to walk up. And then what? What will you say then, whatever choice you made, you have to live with that, not me".

For Stakar Ogord, since he had let his wife and First Mate take on responsibility of the mission since she was new to the position, admits the suggestion she slept her way into it.

All Stakar could do was trust her judgement, and not step in and undermine her, and now. From where he was standing, the broken look typically in Yondu's red eyes now gave way to passion and fury.

Stakar had messed up badly by not intervening, and doing what Yondu asked, but that would make Aleta appear weak and undermine her him.

This was a confusing time for everyone that left two crew dead, and Kraglin on the cusp, with a man speaking for him who now gave the air and authority of not giving two fucks.

"Three days is what we're giving him Yondu, and that's it". Reiterated Stakar feeling more like an asshole inside, whilst Yondu just turned back to Kraglin and gave a twisted shit like smirk.

"And then what? Going to pretend he never existed too. Yeah, good luck with that".

Aleta stepped forward, and it looked like she was going to say something, but quickly changed her mind, the desperate violent slave that he had pulled on their Galleon had disappeared.

To become this man in front of them, with no authority but leaving an impression on the pair, and they were in charge but felt like they were dismissed.

"We will leave you too it" was all Stakar could say, but they left the room feeling shaken to their cores and returning to the Bridge. They heard snatch of the previous conversation, flying through the decks and some were giving them the evil eye.

"They're killing Kraglin…three days, someone heard them". They felt so undermined by this, and not for the first time Stakar questioned his wife's decision to leave the group behind and being the catalyst for all of this, but now all he could do was wait.

With them gone, Yondu exhaled flatly and took up his position of holding Kraglin's hand.

A little while later, after Iztel and Horuz had come in to tell Yondu that the rest of the crew knew of the plan to put down Kraglin like a canine and were subsequently pissed.

Something that gave Yondu a moment of happiness, since Yondu was feeling better and could go back to his waters if he so desired, but instead he just continued his vigil by Kraglin. Since feeling like a sentimental bastard, why did he have the inclination that Kraglin would have done the same for him?

Sitting there, just holding his hand, now feeling certain, that Aleta wouldn't just come down and finish the job herself. Yondu just looked at Kraglin deeply his mind a conflict of emotions, which he could feel reflected in Kraglin's closed eyes.

Yondu had been thinking about this for a whole, but couldn't explain it to others, none of them would understand. This was something Yondu recalled from his childhood the few memories he had.

Zatoan's closer to nature, closer to the ground, able to sense harmony and energies, to attempt this at his age was ridiculous, it was meant to be with someone you had bonded with for life, and that certainly wasn't Kraglin.

However, nothing wasn't working, so with nothing to lose, Yondu took Kraglin's hand and planted his feet firmly into the ground, which should have been lush green and not deck plating. Yondu closed his eye, and through a nose which had been broken too many times in the past. Yondu took a deep breath, and wondering if this was all bullocks, pushed his mind out there

To be continued

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