After being together for a little over three months our dynamic duo finally get a chance to go out on their first real date. We will start out from Peter but it will rotate a bit, everyone's favorite destroyer even makes an appearance. After the hurt/comfort of last chapter I believe out two deserve so intimate couple time.

I would also like to thank everyone for their glowing reviews. I was glad I could surprise some of you by being a guy. Heh.

"True strength lies not in being able to endure any problem alone, but in knowing when to reach out you hand out."

Enjoy.

Peter was surprised, pleasantly so actually. For the first time in what felt like forever the Milano was well stocked, fully refueled, and they had extra units they could blow.

Such a thing was almost foreign to Peter. In his ravager days it was always scrambling to the next job. Yeah he was a thief but that did not make him rich. There was always enough money to survive and live but not enough to actually enjoy oneself. You always had to worry about the next job or bill.

Rocket was in a similar situation. The furry member of their team was a mercenary and bounty hunter. He always had to worry about the next job paying the bills or getting him and Groot hurt or worse. Groot himself was just happy to see Rocket in good spirits , the tree man did not care that much for money, having little need for it.

Drax and Gamora were a bit different. Drax had never put much thought into money just like Groot but still had some need for it. Just not much, he was a person of simple tastes. Gamora however probably had the least reaction out of all of them, second only to Groot. Having worked for Thanos as an assassin money had about as much value as literal dirt. It simply had no real use. Thanos gave her a place to live, a horrible one Peter was sure. He had likely gave her the food she ate too although Peter could only imagine the terrors Thanos gave her in that regard.

The mental imagine of Thanos cooking in an apron was more creepy than funny.

Peter could not help but imagine Gamora as the kind of person who would light a fire using a huge bundle of earth money as kindling.

The kind of bundle worth several million dollars.

The now flush ex outlaw found himself very relieved units were not made of paper.

Near as Peter could tell, Gamora practically saved most of what she earned. At first she had tried to take a lower cut from their profits but Peter was having none of it. Much to Rocket's chagrin. As far as Peter could tell his girlfriend was stashing it away somewhere.

She did have reason for holding it all, a legitimate one at least. "If one of us gets seriously injured, hospitals stays can be expensive, it would be my honor to pay for it." That was what she had told him, only Gamora would be so selfless with money. If asked about it Peter would just say "that's my girl."

Sure Peter was turning over a new leaf and being more charitable, to the guardians at least, but old habits die hard.

Not only were they financially in the green but no one had any injuries, no one was in danger or anything of the sort. They were waiting for the next job mostly so they had something completely unheard of for the somewhat newly formed guardians.

Time off.

The guardians had tried for hours among themselves to decide what to do with this strange new thing. The ideas were not exactly promising. Between ignoring it from Drax, going bar hopping with Rocket, and just relaxing onboard the Milano. The last one came from Gamora but it was not directed at the rest of them.

Just her and Peter.

Peter knew she badly wanted to spend more time with him. She would never say it out loud but he could tell his green skinned girlfriend was thinking it. Especially after that last literally bloody debacle.

It still bothered him every time he thought about it. He knew Gamora was haunted by her past but he overestimated how strong she was. By herself yes she was far stronger than any of the nightmares her mind could concoct up. It was losing Peter that she was worried about. It made Peter feel like worse than a moron that he did not see it sooner.

It was lucky that Gamora had made a mad dash back to the Milano after killing Peter's attackers. If she had gone somewhere else there is no telling how long it would have taken him to find her, there was also no telling the shape she would have been in when he did.

This was why Peter had to lay down the law for their destination. He pretty much told them they were going to Xandar to enjoy some free time whether any of them liked it or not. Peter's somewhat surprise there was no arguments.

They had free time and Gamora needed to spend a little bit of it to see what it was like to be a normal person. Barring the end of the galaxy, Peter fully intended to do this if it killed him. This meant one single thing.

Their first real date.

The closest thing to dates Peter had ever been on usually involved sweet talking some generic alien girl in a bar somewhere. That would not be anything remotely like what Peter was looking for. No way in hell was a bar going to be involved if he had anything to say about it. Gamora deserved far better.

Unfortunately this was turning into a nightmare. Peter was sure Gamora would just like the free time but what to do with that free time was the issue. No fighting, no stealing, none of their usual shenanigans. A real date.

What the hell made up a real date though?

This was how Peter found himself having to do something very terrifying. Something that made him want to throw himself out the airlock instead of doing it.

It was time to see Drax.

Spare money and time without purpose. Drax was unfamiliar with these things. Before the guardians it had been nothing but moving from one fight to another. The only money required was whatever was needed to pay for food.

Apparently these two things were cause for celebration among terrans and to a lesser degree small sentient furred animals.

Why though Drax did not know.

Still it did Drax's heart well to see his comrades in such good spirits. They certainly deserved it, especially after that last close call with Quill. Drax was unsure if those men had intended to kill their leader and friend or not but it was not a question he ever intended to ask. In fact he would have killed them himself but never got the chance.

Gamora had moved as if she was death itself, dispatching the assailants with untamable ferocity. He would have joined in to assist her but he had seen her taking care of all of them so he instead tended to Quill alongside Rocket. The terran's injuries were really not severe at all but looked such from a distance.

Gamora herself had been a whole different issue. He should have recognized the signs when she first attacked. Perhaps if he had than he could have stopped her before she became lost. By the time he did understand what was happening it was already too late.

Gamora had succumbed to the battle lust.

It was no coincidence Drax was often called the destroyer. He himself had fell to the seductive whispers of the battle rage. Gamora was fortunate she had snapped out of it when she did, had she attacked one of them Drax knew the green skinned woman would never forgive herself. Somehow Drax knew that it would have never come to that though, for the source of her blood lust had been on the floor beside him at the time.

Peter Quill.

Even before the pair had began their courtship the signs of their attraction were all there. Sideways glances, ricking life and limb for each other, things like these. The terran and Zehoberi had been slowly developing understanding their attraction for each other since their adventure started.

To Drax it had been obvious to see her rage, it was a variant of his own. Whereas his was founded in grief and loss hers was not. It was fear, fear of losing the one thing of value in her life, her lover and best friend. Fear that she would let him down. The source of both of their respective rages was in a single unifying force- love.

Drax knew the others often thought him slow or dimwitted, that could not be farther from the truth. He was actually quite intelligent. Quill would certainly be shocked if he knew that Drax had much knowledge in matters of the heart.

He had been married after all. Drax missed his wife and daughter dearly but even he knew that there was no getting them back. He was loathe to admit it but the dead are just that, dead.

Seeing Quill with Gamora though did not make him sad, quite the contrary actually. It made him happy to see love flourish between the two. Both were deeply scarred people. Despite their outward attitudes and confidence they were unsure of themselves, scared of doing something wrong with each other.

They would be able to slowly learn, together.

Drax had the utmost faith in his two comrades. They would indeed learn, and would be stronger together all the more for it. Part of being in love was conquering hardships together.

The destroyer also knew that despite them both being stubborn and unwilling to give up, the two would eventually need a gentle push of assistance.

Drax was already expecting it when Quill finally came to him.

Drax was sitting at the table in the Milano's common room when he heard the voice asking for his attention.

"Hey Drax buddy, got a min?" Quill came into the room as he spoke.

Drax's face held a small half grin as he set his knife and cleaning cloth down. He was unfamiliar with such a nickname but from the context he knew it was friendly. Drax was also happy that Quill finally saw that he needed help.

"Of course, sit," Drax motioned with his head to the chair across the table from him. Quill instantly flopped down heavily into the seat.

"Umm..." Quill was looking down and tapping his fingers on the table nervously.

The destroyer knew that he was nervous about requesting assistance so he decided to take mercy on the terran. "You require aid with Gamora?"

Peter suddenly looked up alarmed and looked around the room frantically almost hissing. "Shh! She'll hear you!"

Ah, so he was scared Gamora would find out about him asking for help. Drax chose to say nothing about it, or anything about how he was expecting Gamora to come to him as well. One friend at a time.

"I would be happy to be of assistance my friend."

Quill let out a sigh. "Thanks Drax, I just... don't know what to..." Drax knew if he allowed him to, Quill would have kept rambling on. He simply silenced him with a hand up.

"First you are making the classic mistake all young lovers do." At Peter's confused look Drax continued. "You wish everything to be perfect correct?"

Quill nodded.

"That is your problem, nothing is ever perfect. You are over thinking." Drax reached foreword resting a palm on the center of Quill's chest directly over his heart. " All that matters is what feels right in here

"Perfect does not exist, you must find what feels right." Drax spoke from person experience with his deceased wife. Quill seemed to be taking in every word.

"Now then, you and Gamora have plans for the evening?" Drax knew they had to of been planning something. It was their first real free time as lovers. Thanos himself would not be able to stop the two of them.

"Sorta..." Peter began looking sheepish. "I'm hoping she'll want to just go out for a bit, night on the town ya know?" Drax really did not but he inferred Peter's meaning easily enough.

"But I don't really have any date clothes or anything..." Drax again silenced him with a raised hand. Now came the other part of the advice Drax had meditated on.

"Quill my friend you do not need such things. Gamora will not care too much about this." As he spoke, Drax gently grasped Quill's shirt. "Or this," Drax motioned to the terran's messy hair. "In fact I would recommend you leave it as is. She seems to enjoy your hair with a rugged look."

Quill looked at him curiously but Drax answered the unspoken question before it could be asked. "I was married once Quill, I know when a female is observing something."

"Thanks Drax," Quill stood up and moved for the doorway out of the room.

"One last thing Quill, I believe there is a fair of sorts going on today. Perhaps it would be a nice place to take Gamora for the evening." Quill turned around at Drax's words before his eyes went wide.

"Drax you are a genius!" The leader of the guardians then went jogging out of the room.

Drax did not try to hide his small grin.

Picking his cloth and blade back up Drax resumed his work. If he was correct he only had a few more minutes after Quill left the room.

Just as he thought, she arrived exactly three minutes after Quill left the room. Once more putting the two items down, Drax motioned to the opposite seat just as he had done for Quill. The destroyer somehow knew this conversation was going to be very similar to the last one.

Gamora however was very proud. She also was stubborn to a fault, she would not ask for help. Not directly at least like Quill had somewhat done.

This required Drax to be more proactive.

Looking up at Gamora, Drax spoke. "You are worried about your imminent time with Quill yes?"

Gamora only nodded, face solemn and stoic as ever. She would likely not speak during this conversation, Gamora simply was not one to ask for help. Despite knowing she needed it.

Being with Quill would change her into a completely different person. She would be more outspoken, more cheerful, more like a normal person. If she was alone however, like now, she would regress to her former self. Said self was still a good person, just not what could be called very friendly. That was only because she was still figuring out how to act around friends. The green skinned woman was a fast learner though.

"You need not worry my friend, nothing in all the galaxy is perfect. You need not fret over your state of dress or appearance. Quill will be happy to just have you at his side." As Drax spoke he set both his arms on the table palms up.

Gamora seemed to understand the gesture since she reached foreword and took both his hands in hers almost hesitantly. Drax softly squeezed both her hands in a show of comfort.

It was a testament to the effect her relationship with Quill had on her, months ago she would have severed his hands if he touched her. Only Peter's touch had her acting without hesitation. Other people she would be cautious but not adverse to physical contact.

Drax easily remembered the last time he used such a comforting gesture with someone. It was his young daughter. His advice and physical touch had always been everything she needed. Drax found himself hoping it would remain effective on Gamora.

Squeezing her hands again, Drax continued. "This is what Quill wants, you. It is as simple as that Gamora."

That seemed to be exactly what Gamora needed to hear. She soon let go of his hands and rose to her feet. She nodded to Drax slightly before making her way out of the room.

For the third time Drax picked his blade up. This time the small grin had bloomed over his whole face. He could not help but chuckle softly and whisper under his breath. "Young love."

I decided since a first date is so important (it is right?) that this would be a two part chapter. Next will be the date itself. Hopefully Drax is in character. I was a bit worried about it.

Once more your reviews are what makes this story grow. Without them it withers and dies.

I would like to also make it clear I write these when my depression allows. So there is really no uniform updating schedule. I will say though I try at least once a week at latest.