The Sign that Yondu Cares Part 16

Chapter 2 A Pirates life

"Peter for the love of god boy, get back here."

It was meant to be a simple raid, and now this. The bastard Kree had led them into an ambush, and now there was fighting on all sides, taking them down was easy, but Yondu had decided to bring ten-year-old Peter with them. Something Kraglin had suggested not too, and now Yondu wished he had taken his advice.

Apart from the boy's dagger, and blaster he was weaponless and being small made him a target. On the Kree Scout ship which Yondu could navigate in his sleep, he managed to access the monitors, with ease and just grinned.

It was chaos but the Ravagers his crew. Yondu was pleased to see were winning, but he wanted it over quickly, and in the chaos, he had lost sight of Peter.

The entire ship was a sea of black, and red leathers and carnage as Yondu brought his arrow to life, his headpiece firing like fireworks, under it, and he sent it throughout the ship.

There he watched his crew step back with surprise as the Yaka arrow did their work for them, and they all fell to the ground in a sea of blood. Subconsciously he began to hum one of Peter's shitty Terran songs, but in only moments all of the Kree's were dead, and Yondu gave himself a smug smile.

"Alezduren, report". Yondu barked into his communicator since with all the cameras the hybrid wasn't in his line of vision, and there came some hesitation.

"All good, Kree dead, Crew all accounted for but…"

"But what?" Yondu barked, already knowing in advance what had happened and to who and felt a moment of dread creep up his spine

"Peter was hit by your arrow, but he's okay," Alezduren said simple, apparently wanting off the conversation, and Yondu just seethed with internalised anger, of course, of bloody course.

Cursing himself, Yondu rushed through the deck, as the rest of the crew were going through the spoils as Yondu had ordered and no one caught his eyes. Naturally, they would have heard about it first before he came to Alezduren and Kraglin kneeling next to Peter. All of them had rags, some not as clear as they should be holding it up to stem the bleeding.

"I'm sorry Yondu" the ten-year-old whispered trying to hide how much he was in shock which caused Yondu to just blink. He had done this, he should be apologising to the boy, not the other way around!

"The heat from the arrow cauterised the hole, so it's going to heal fine, but he's going to need some painkillers and a ton of rest" Kraglin advised. But Yondu couldn't take his eyes of Peter's pale lips and eyes which looked like he was going to break down and cry.

For a moment Yondu was confused at what to do, as Alezduren cleared his throat "Perhaps I should take him back, Sir?", the Hybrid asked too which Yondu nodded, "Fine, patch him up, let him get some sleep or some shit like that", he said gruffly.

With a bit of manoeuvring, Alezduren managed to pick up the child who winched from the pain and just leant into the hybrid's shoulder, whimpering softly, causing Yondu to feel more wretched inside.

But he had a job to do and had to do it.

Several hours later, Yondu walked on the deck, it was a good raid with many spoils to share, Kraglin had come over and explained that Peter had been patched up and was sleeping, after being given a dose of painkiller and antbac's so there would be no fever.

"He was lucky", Kraglin finished which caused Yondu to wonder if Kraglin was taking the piss. Yes, Peter was lucky, the arrow had gone through his shoulder and not the kids damned head.

Yondu could have just walked away but instead found himself making his way to Peter's room previously the Main Cell, but now Peter's private domain. Though he had an access key, instead he knocked on the door and using his internal senses was made aware of shuffling on the other side.

"Come in" came the small voice and the door opened automatically. Yondu walked in to see Peter shuffling on the bed sitting up carefully, he was topless, and there was a sterile strip on his shoulder, healing the wound until not even a scar would remain. He still looked pale, but there was more colour in his body and Yondu was beginning to wish he would have brought beer.

"Can I sit down?" Yondu didn't have to ask, but this was Peter's room, and he didn't want the ten-year-old to tense up. There was a moment of silence while the pair tried to gather their thoughts.

"So how scared were you?"

These were the words Peter needed his Captain to say, and he immediately to sniffle, and tears began to fall.

"Really scared, there was so much going on, and it was so confusing". Peter looked distraught but managed to continue. "And then I saw the arrow…and I thought"

"What that I meant to aim it at you? Shit kid that was an accident. Look"

Yondu got up and tope his top off, revealing his densely scarred blue skin and pointed to his own shoulder. "See this" To which Peter nodded "I shot myself with it when I was learning how to use it. God, I would never try to hurt you with it. Shit, just wrong place wrong time".

Yondu put his top back on, while Peter just composed himself. "I thought because I wasn't doing right, but I couldn't shoot anyone…I just thought".

"Look, I know you've only killed one person, and that bastard deserved it, but look. I think you need some training off the ship, away from all this chaos. When you're healed, we've going to go off to a planet for a bit, some proper shooting and all that".

Peter wet his lips and was once again Yondu remembered that he was only ten and had only been in his life for two years. Though sometimes Peter acted older and this was a reminder that he was still a fragile young boy.

"That would be nice Yondu, thanks". Peter was just relieved internally convincing himself up to this point, that he was the screw-up and not his Captain. "It didn't hurt when it happened".

"Really, funk when I shot myself it hurt like a god damn bitch".

Peter just giggled softly at this and stifled a yawn, and Yondu knew that this was his cue to exit. "right sleep it off, take the next day, and you did good Quill". He reassured the ten-year-old who was just beginning to settle down and hit his Walkman, so the music of his mother filled the air.

Yondu just let the boy settle and walked out of the door, internally feeling better. He may have done so much dark shit. But he was raising the boy right and at least that was something.

Oh next Chapter is called Bonds