Chapter Eight

Almost instantly Yondu felt a myriad of feelings around him, concern, anger, whatever the hell the crew were doing. But he concentrated on only one person, who was full of pain and focused on that.

If anyone would have walked past, all they would have seen was Yondu looking like he was in a sort of trance, but then walked on. Yondu felt warmth travelling down from his hand to Kraglin's, and swore he heard a whisper of Kraglin's voice before Yondu opened his eyes again.

Yondu wasn't sure if it was his imagination, at first.

When he found himself standing in the corridor of the Kree Headquarters, where he only days earlier had blown it all apart. Yondu noted that he wearing his typical Ravager leathers, and reached up to find the empty crater where his fin now was prominent.

There was chattering nearby, and he dunked into a corridor and reached for a blaster, which wasn't there, neither was his arrow, and neither was the sound of his footsteps. A Kree walking past turned his head into from his perspective an empty corridor and Yondu understood that no one could see or hear him.

This was taking place inside Kraglin's mind and Yondu remembered that none of this was real. This was what it all meant, how his people did it, Yondu had no way of knowing if this was all in his head or something else entirely.

Yondu his moment of sheer amazement gave way to the reason he was there and he walked carefully down the corridor. Knowing where they would all be, still didn't stop the feeling of disgust that ran through his body.

Yondu turned again, as a familiar figure appeared in view, at the sight of Kraglin, bloodied and battered, being dragged down the corridor, but two Kree guards, whose blue skin was in a contrast to Yondu's own.

The Kree clad in their black armour opened the door and uncaringly dumped Kraglin on the floor, causing Yondu to quicken the pace and follow them in.

Sidestepping the guard, not wanting them to notice him, even if they could since this was Kraglin's mind and Yondu was an interloper, having cast himself as a voyeur.

The ground was spotted by blue blood, as from a second heap on the ground, Regellen and Hoag, were slumped together, on the white floor their faces, almost no different from when Yondu and the rest found them.

"Wated more information…had none to give them…told them to fuck off". Kraglin gasped, his entire face contorting in pain and Yondu resisted the urge to brush his hair off his bloody face.

"Yeah, me too. Sure, that told them". Regellen said, which caused a small chuckle from Hoag, and his breath Yondu noted was coming out in a small wheeze.

It looked like Hoag's limbs had been crushed from the contorted angles, and there was a death rattle in his chest indicating that both his lungs were crushed.

Yondu could see Kree, one he had taken down, watching through the windows, like their pain was some sort of amusement. Reminding Yondu of his life back in the slaver's pit, he wondered if they were taking bets on how long they would survive.

"Got no information though, don't know why…why they haven't come". Kraglin managed to get out through cracked and dehydrated lips. Still thinking and hoping that the Ogoods lived up to their name, instead of turning their back on him.

From his cramped position on the floor, it was Hoag, who managed to speak even though his husband was telling him to save his breath "They are…not…coming. It's Aleta…it's her".

Strangely perceptive for the moment, and no one could deny that as Hoag, said, with his breath fading "They…are…bad…Ravagers" a statement no one could disagree with.

Regellen was fading fast, but was still there, holding his husband trying to be as tender as he could. Even though his face was in pain, and his eyes were streaked with blood and dirt, but were wet with tears.

"I'm, going aren't it, I can't stay I know that…thought we'd have longer. Leave…have a good life, somewhere nice". Hoag said, since Yondu could see, in horror and disgust, death encroaching on the pair.

Their injuries, what he couldn't see, their limbs broken, beaten to obvious, even though the blood had congealed, no one missed the blueness in the corner of their mouths,

"No Hoag, no…stay with me, stay for longer. We'll have a nice place, with flowers and trees and all that shit. Stay with me", Regellen began, as much as he could.

With Kraglin in his shocked state managed to whimper out both their names and with a small smile, Hoag's eyes rolled back and he closed his eyes.

"No…regrets, none. Got to be married…to you. No regrets", and with a small whisper, of "I love you". Hoag's body, sunk on itself, his soul leaving his body for good, and he just slipped gently away.

"No, no", Regellen whispered, trying to shake him gently, even though there was nothing more that could be done. Yondu felt a note of anguish in his chest, which was mirrored by Kraglin, "I love you, please don't leave me".

But there was nothing, just the two of them, and silence with realisation dawning that Hoag was gone.

"I'm sorry". Kraglin manages to get out, not taking his eyes off the pair, who had gone through so much together. It ended like this, on the floor of the Kree unit after being tortured to death, as Regellen just wept silently over his husband's dead body.

"I'll be there soon; I'll be with you soon". Regellen whispered to the deceased man, and with a hiss of the door, the Kree came in. No doubt watching this unfolding realising the pair had a connection and now Regellen would break for good.

The now widowed Ravager was ripped out of his husband's arm and didn't even protest as he was pulled from the door, his feet dragged, leaving Kraglin all alone in pain, tears and grief.

Yondu watching unfolding no stranger to death, but to sentiment, went over to Kraglin knowing that Kraglin could neither hear nor see him. But manages to touch Kraglin's forehead gently which felt cold and clammy. "Hold on, I'll be there soon". as Kraglin just turned his head and passed out again.

With this, Yondu watched as the air around him shifted, understanding that this was all Kraglin's memories, and he was only there as a bystander to all of this. Wondering now what would Kraglin think of Yondu being there. But he had to see this through no matter what.

Yondu didn't exactly understand it, himself but he had to finish this, as mentally he pushed himself forward once more, and the world around him shifted to see Kraglin, now in a dingy room. His arms were strung up, and his legs collapsed underneath so that he looked like he was being crucified.

Whilst a Kree guard, one Yondu recognised as one who he had killed and if it hadn't already happened in real time, he would have tracked him down. Who was rounding on Kraglin, punching him so hard, his neck, coming back so that Yondu was surprised it hadn't dislocated by now.

"What you here, what do you want". Said over and over again.

Kraglin's mouth was filled with blood, but he still managed to find one of his sarcastic smiles. "Know fuck all, mate".

Which was a true, but not a good enough answer, as more blows followed causing Kraglin to jerk like a helpless rag doll. Yondu was impressed with his strength but grew concerned, and the Kree were finishing with using him as a punching bag. And not tired of it all, the Xandarian was then returned to the centre of the place and dumped on the floor.

Kraglin managed to pull himself up, just so he could vomit blue blood, before he turned his forces back to Regellen, having undergone another bout of torture, as he now cradled along with his mate.

"Do you think…these…fucks…know we know nothing…and this just sport".

Kraglin wheezed out, and in response got a soft "Yeah" from Regellen. Then Kraglin looked up, along with Yondu to see his friend's face ashen.

"I'm not holding on Kraglin, I'm going to him" Regellen managed to get out, as he moved closer to the still fallen and dead Hoag "We came into this world almost together, best friends a few days apart, right we go together…Sorry, Kraglin, I can't stay, they're not coming for us…lied to us. Not good Captain, in the end, hope they rot".

"Someone's coming, I know it". Whispered Kraglin's knowing what was about to happen and for Yondu feeling like a voyeur to the end of their lives, and wished he could ensure the pair that it was true.

"No, they are not…well maybe Yondu, maybe he's coming, coming in to rescue you. So, it's fine". Regellen offered a small smile indicating that he was at peace with the death that was looming over his shoulder.

"Just one ask, just one. No Ravager death no stupid fireworks…no words. Cremate us and take us somewhere nice, somewhere we would have been happy. But Yondu…he's good, remember that, maybe I'll see you soon".

That was the most Regellen had got out in a clear sentence, no longer concerned about the pain, as with a shudder he dropped over his husband, and all his light extinguished.

Whilst Kraglin could only offer a weak "No", with bloody tears in his eyes, well and truly broken as he just looked over the dead crewman, and his friends, and cried weekly. All Ravager bravado gone.

"No one's coming, no one's coming", and from the look in Kraglin's eyes, he was just wishing for death, as Yondu, felt ripped internally at what he had seen and wondered if this was Kraglin's doing.

Yondu sunk to his knees, unable to feel anything, just being an image, and whispered. "I'm here, just hold on, Kraglin you're safe, come back".

It was all he could say, and on the floor, Kraglin opened up one eye and looked up, perhaps for the first time seeing Yondu, or Yondu inside his head anyway.

"I'm here, Kraglin I'm here. Come back".

Kraglin with an arm and hand which were broken manages to lift his right arm and reached out towards Yondu, and both their fingers touched briefly. Causing a surge to rush through Yondu, as the world collapsed around him, once more.

To be continued.

Please review