Hi all here it is, the next part. The ship gets used to Peter...and Yondu and Kraglin may kill each other before the week is out!

Fatherhood

Chapter 2

In the Mess hall, the only crewman present was Iztel the main cook, a Ravager from way back when he had been a fine fighter until a firefight with the Kree had left him with one arm and failing vision. Iztel fully expected to be spaced when it happened, instead Yondu promised him a home of the Eclector for the rest of his life and put him in charge of the mess hall and cooking. Watching him concoct all the dishes for the men, he never seemed to miss his old life that much and took his responsibilities very seriously, as he cocked his head round when Kraglin stepped through the door holding the baby in his arms. "You know, I always ask for fresh meat, but I draw the line at still alive" he joked as Kraglin quickly filled him in on the new temporary addition to the crew and gave him a pad which detailed what Terran babies ate.

Kraglin watched as Iztel begun throwing some vegetables and things he hoped wouldn't kill the boy, which he blended and served it to Peter with a flourish, from the smells that begun to filter round the room, the baby began to stir and a few minute later, he opened his mouth to drop the dummy, which Kraglin caught and with his lips smacking with obvious hunger. So the baby wasn't stupid, Kraglin thought with relief, still wondering why Yondu had taken the job. All he had been told was that it promised riches, but no more.

The wall of silence, Yondu had erected was beginning to annoy Kraglin, as with a spoon placed in his hand, he attempted to feed the hungry Terran in his lap. Peter may have been hungry, but he either wanted to grab the spoon from Kraglin or just use his hands, as soon the boy was covered in more food then had gone in his mouth, but he didn't seem too fussed as the boy leaned back against Kraglin and began to drift off looking contented.

Kraglin took a moment to really look at the boy, since he was happier and less a screaming little bastard, as he felt the boy's tiny heartbeat working in his chest and felt a stab in his own.

"Oh hell no". He said to himself, wanting to put the boy away somewhere. He had a job; he was first mate, and he had to obey Yondu, though some days that was torture. He knew he had weeks stuck with this baby, but was already determined not to be doing this every day. As Kraglin heard the familiar steps of Yondu stepping into the mess, and almost on cue Kraglin could smell the stench starting to emerge from the boy, and smirked.

When Yondu approached him, Kraglin immediately placed the boy into the Centaurian arms, and practically rushed out of the room. "He needs changing and he's all yours". He crowed, but a few minutes later Kraglin decided to return to their quarters after going back to the mess to get a bottle from Iztel, knowing the boy would need it later and could hear his mate through the bulkheads.

"Stupid bastard kid…what the hell did they feed you?" Yondu demanded, as instead of Peter crying the boy had his legs in the air, giggling his head off at the sight of the Captain, who was struggling to place a nappy on the boy. "Who the hell invented these things, there so stupid?"

"Oh, the great Captain Yondu Udonta, felled by a Terran baby". Kraglin grinned, as Yondu made a feeble attempt to past to boy to the Xandarian who only stepped back "Forget it he's your problem…But I think he needs a bath; the kid stinks like shit". He tried not to laugh, but failed.

"Piss off Kraglin, this little shit's getting on my nerves". The raise on Yondu's voice caused a look of fear to pass over the baby's face, and it looked like he was about to cry.

"Well, scaring him isn't going to help is it? I fed him; you have to bathe him." Informed Kraglin, who dropped his voice slightly so as not to alarm the baby.

"Why don't you remember that I am the Captain of this ship, and what I say is law?" Thundered Yondu, his headpiece beginning to glow with anger, which Kraglin ignored.

"And why don't you remember that I never signed up for this, and right now there is no one on this ship, but me to help you…So shut it, and bath this kid…I'm going to find him something to sleep in". Kraglin stated coolly as he stepped from the room, leaving Yondu along with the baby, who grinned up at him his chubby arms waving in the air.

After about a minute, with his mate still not returned. "Bastard just wants to torment me…The same way you do". He directed the last part to Peter, who only gave him a drool grin, as Yondu picked up the boy and took him into the bathroom, placing him in the sick as he threw in some water. He knew that Terran skin was sensitive so it couldn't be too hot, and from the look of delight of Peter's face as the water gushed around him.

Peter kicked his legs and splashed his tiny arms as Yondu tapping into a residual memory of his own childhood tipped the boy back, scooped up some water and ran it over his head. The boy coughed and sneezed, but didn't cry, after eventually concluding that was clean enough, and no longer smelling of shit Yondu picked up a towel and wrapped it around the boy, coming back into the bedroom, where Kraglin had found a large box and had cut up a mattress for the boy to lie on. It took a few minutes, but finally they managed to diaper the boy, courtesy of the bag supplied by Meredith Quill and both cursing the existence of whoever invented these things, as Peter stuck a thumb in his mouth and closed his eyes as Yondu placed him in the makeshift cot and threw a blanket over the boy.

"He'll be up in a few hours". Kraglin advised as he sat on the edge of the bed and kicked his boots off, "I'm going to get a few hours so I'll get up with him." As Yondu could only peer at the sleeping boy, and grunt in reply before returning to his job of being the Captain. Thankfully there was nothing serious to deal with, even though word of the baby had spread throughout the ship, and it seemed everyone wanted to see the Terran boy. Eventually, Yondu left the ship to Horuz and the night crew and stepped back to his quarters. In the half light, he could hear the shallow breaths of Peter deep in sleep, and his mate curled into a pillow, as a smile crossed his lips.

Stripping his clothes off, he slipped into the bed, and begun a familiar dance across Kraglin's spine, one that never failed to get a reaction out of him. "Oh lover". He whispered in Kraglin's ear, as he saw Kraglin's eyes snap open. "Don't you dare even think about it?" He said with gritted teeth, as Yondu saw his body go tense. "What is it? Was it the boy?"

"Oh yeah it was the boy, the boy who decided to start crying the moment you left, and I spent three hours trying to get him back down, because apparently Peter's teeth are coming through…which is causing him pain". Kraglin shook his head "I never signed up for this Yondu. When I got with you, we discussed and dismissed children, and now you dump one in my lap". He turned his back to Yondu, "I don't care how long it's for, find someone else of this ship to take care of him…because I can't deal with this".

Yondu went to move forward, and accidentally kicked the metal of the bed stand, producing a metallic clang that echoed across the room, followed by Peter's cries. "Oh great, now you've woken him up". Kraglin said in pure anger as he wrapped a pillow over his head, making it clear who would have to deal with him now. Following the cries, Peter was sitting up, tear running down his face, and his chubby arms stretched up for comfort. "Fan-sodding-tasitc". Yondu muttered as he brought up the light, to see what the kid needed. Bending over the bed, he tried the dummy thing that the kid seemed to like who immediately spat it out as his cries got louder, and he waved his arms.

"No, I'm not picking you up you little shit". He told he boy who ignored the request and just got louder as Yondu scanned the room until his eyes fell onto the Walkman, Meredith had packed. "What the hell is this anyway?" He asked Kraglin who looked up from his pillow and just shrugged "Some sort of listening thing…I don't know". He turned away as Yondu pressed open the Walkman door, and saw the tapes on the table. Figuring it out in seconds, he put the tape in the machine and pressed play. Over the small listening devices, as there were similar things on other planets, the sounds of music filtered through and the effect it had on Peter was automatic, as his tears stopped and he began to settle in the bed putting a thumb lazily in his mouth and drifted off to sleep.

Kraglin sat up in the bed and just looked at his mate "What the hell is that…is sounds like shit?" As he heard the music which was now a miracle worker, all Yondu could do was agree. "I think all Terran music is shit, boy seems to like it though". Yondu shrugged as he placed the earphones by the box to aid the boy in his dreams, before turning down the lights and slipping back into the bed. With the Terran music the only sound in the room, Kraglin mumbled into his pillow "It's so shit, but it's only for a few weeks, not years. If it shuts him up, then so be it", as the Xandarian felt Yondu's hand creeping back up his spine and turned his voice harsh. "No way in hell, Yondu. Not tonight" as a smirk crossed his lips, that he was pleased his mate couldn't see "And none until the boy goes".

"What". Yondu pushed himself up and looked down at Kraglin "You have got to be screwing with me".

"Great use of the word…And no. Do you think I'm going to have sex with you, with a kid in the room? Then you're sadly mistaken, there's no way I'm going to subject him to that".

Yondu knowing he wasn't going to win anything with his pissed of mate, and the sounds of the shitty Terran music, flopped down on the bed. "So I'm being cock blocked by an infant?"

"Yes you are". Kraglin gave an evil chuckle as the pair settled down to sleep.

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