Another chapter done! I've been trying to update once a week, but I might have to skip a week since I'm moving out of my apartment this week :) If you like this though, in the absence of an update you might want to head over to my other fanfic in the Hobbit category called Unexpected Afterlife. Fun read, a bit lighter than this one.
Blackwidow7777: You got your wish, here's a shiny new update :) Kathyb: I think Groot and Cass are going to be fast friends :) and thanks, I try to figure out a character before I write them, Yondu was a challenge and I worried. Thanks for letting me know I got him right! sur2sur: Great idea, I'll try to fit it in once they find out, which is gonna be fun! Nadia: I think frying pans are underrated weapons, which is strange since they're actually recommended for women to use since they take less effort to defend ones self with than a knife. At least if you aren't used to using a knife :P
Cass's finger tingled, the feeling of thousands of prickling insect feet danced across her skin. The lights over her head flashed in and out of focus. Faces pressed close to hers. Warm breath ghosted across her cheek while they spoke words her ears refused to discern.
Life began returning, creeping into her limbs. The prickling feet began to sting.
"Caden." The voice sounded like it bounced to her across the shimmering surface of rippling water. "Caden." Cass felt her arm float up to reach for the voice. "Caden." Her fingers grazed the soft moist surface of the water.
"Motherfucking ass nuggets."
"What happened?"
"He jabbed me in the eye! What does it fucking look like?"
"I am Groot."
"I didn't say he meant it, I said he did it." Rocket's growl distinguished itself.
Reality set in with a tidal wave of pain. Cass groaned inwardly, part of her wishing she'd woken up back on her pallet bed on Huran. A very small stupid part. Dull throbbing from her throat and forehead, searing pain from her lower back, and spiky pin pricks from the man's gun overtook her fleeting ethereal feeling. Now that the adrenaline was wearing off she felt exhausted, what didn't hurt just wanted to melt into the grate floor and rest for a few more hours.
"Caden you awake?" This time it was Quill, his face blotting out the dull pale lighting.
"Yea," she rasped, her throat scratchy like she'd been breathing heavy dust for the better part of the day.
"How do you feel?" Gamora pushed into her view, green brow knitted with elegant concern.
"I've felt worse," not a lie, "how do I look?" Cass asked, she didn't know exactly how to explain how she felt, perhaps a visual would be better.
"Weeeell," Quill tilted his head back and forth and looked up to Gamora then back, apparently she looked that bad. Or maybe…Cass's hand flew up to her chest and she jolted off the floor, a wave of nausea riding up with her. The pan she'd used fell from her chest and landed heavily on her thighs. Instinctually she pulled the wet cloth from her chest to hide the small swell of her breasts. Had they noticed them? The room spun for a moment.
"Good to see you're up, you got some serious 'splainin to do," Rocket rubbed his eye and leaned back onto the back of a chair crossing the other arm across his chest.
"I'll clean it up," Cass's legs trembled when she stood, she was forced to keep her hands on the floor and walk them up the side of a chair to keep her balance.
"The bathrooms a mess, water and blood all over the floor." Quill tutted.
"I'll clean it," Cass took a shaky step towards the exit. She already said she'd clean it up, it wasn't as if she'd already forgotten what she'd done.
"What about where he stabbed the guy?" Rocket asked, leaning against the same chair that blood had stained down the cushion.
"I got it," Cass turned slowly, barely keeping her balance. One mess at a time, she wanted to snap, but instead she gritted her teeth. Did they think she could just clean it up all at once? If that were the case she'd clean this whole ship and be done with these demanding slobs.
"There is also the location where she shoved the napkin in the man's nose after breaking it," Drax examined one of his knives, running the pad of his thumb across the blade. "Why did you do that?"
"I don't know, cause I knew I'd be cleaning it all after a fucking lecture." Cass leaned against the wall for support and closed her eyes, hoping the sudden dizzy spell would dissipate along with their interest. She shouldn't have said that, Cass tensed and waited for the repercussions.
"Tell you what, sit down, we'll have Drax take a look at you and we'll clean up the mess." Quill patted her on the shoulder, weak and confused, Cass jolted forward and nearly tumbled to the floor. "We got a course set for home." Home? That's it? No yelling for talking back?
Cass was still shaking her head as they descended the ladder. "But I'm supposed to clean," She said quietly. Not that she wanted to, but what if they cleaned too much and found they didn't need her?
"I believe it is his way of thanking you for not allowing the ship to be stolen." Drax rumbled quietly, opening a box and rummaging around through its contents.
"Oh…" Cass fell into one of the passenger seats and rested her head back for a moment, closing her eyes. For once the trembling in her legs wasn't because of fear. A thank you. It seemed like a surreal sounding concept for her.
A sharp cold pain distracted Cass from her thoughts. Drax knelt right before her chair between her knees, pressing a wet cloth to her hairline. The sudden closeness brought a small tremor of terror. Cass scooted back as far as she could and tried to stand up and away with her legs on either side of the seat.
"Stay still," Drax growled, he dropped his hands behind her knees, and yanked her forward and off balance. She fell hard back into the seat and Drax returned to his work.
"I-I can do that," Cass jerked back but Drax's other hand circled the back of her head.
"Nonsense," Drax narrowed his eyes and dabbed a wet cloth across her face. It made her nervous that he was looking so closely. At this range he should be able to tell that she wasn't a man. Instinctively she tried to turn her face away but his hand held her still.
All she could do was try to ignore him. When she stopped pulling away his hand softened. Almost gentle, this didn't seem possible for someone his size. At any second he could flex his palm and crush her skull like an egg.
Yet, he didn't, she tried to tell herself.
But if you upset him, he could, a little voice warned.
I haven't given him reason to, Cass clenched her jaw and stared intently at a side wall.
You didn't have to give your father one, the little voice reminded.
Drax released her head and drug her from her inner battle. Her eyes flicked over to him rummaging in the box that he'd sat on the floor beside himself. Easily bigger than any man back on Huran, Drax looked like he belonged somewhere rougher than the Milano. Like prison, or doing something to get thrown in prison, not playing doctor to a maid.
"I am going to apply a glue to close your gash," Drax pulled out a small tube of glue. It looked like a miniature figurine in his hands.
"I can-" Cass began, but stopped when Drax threw her a side glare. Crush your head like an egg, she reminded herself and ran her hand back through her hair and looked away.
His hand returned to cradle her head and hold it in place. "You remind me of my wife when you do that," Drax rumbled quietly.
"You're married!?" Cass gasped. Hoping her stupid question didn't sound as insulting as she'd thought it did. Of course he could be married, he seemed like a decent man. Living on a star ship with a bunch of hooligans that didn't get along just didn't seem like the married man sort of scene.
"I was, until her and my daughter were murdered by Thanos." Drax's hand tightened on the back of her head for a second, startling her. "She used to run her hand through her hair when she thought, a habit that she hated in herself."
Cass felt ashamed that her first thought was for herself, did he know she was a woman and that was why he mentioned this? Guilt flooded over that thought soon after. This man was opening up to her about something close to his heart and she only thought of herself. Cass opened her mouth to say something to comfort him, but didn't know what to say. Never before had she needed to comfort someone after a loss. One of her hands rested on his shoulder, perhaps he'd just understand that she meant well.
"She was also tense often," Drax rumbled. Dropping the empty bottle of glue he brought his hand up to her neck.
His warm hand had only just grazed her skin when she jerked back and pushed against his forearm with all her strength. The memory of her last encounter with her father was still fresh in her mind, and while Drax's hand was gentle for now, she couldn't brush the feeling of his fingers clenched around her throat. Tightening.
"I just remembered I left the stove on," Cass blurted out. She stumbled off the side of her chair, her legs still weak from the stun gun, she fell to her knees.
"There's blood on your back as well," Drax said.
Before she could struggle back up, his large hands were on either side of her waist, sliding up her back to lift her shirt. "It's just a nick! Did it myself, don't worry about it!" Cass yanked her shirt back down as far as she could. Drax's hands had stopped, they just rested on her sides for a tense moment. The metal grating dug into her knees while she waited for him to say something. His hot hands seared her skin, making her heart pound heavily against her ribs.
"You should check on your oven," Drax rumbled, pulling his hands off her. The air that touched her sides felt like ice sliding across her skin in his absence.
A sharp pang of longing to have him close to warm her, propelled her faster to the exit. There wasn't any longing allowed, she reminded herself. Cass let herself glance back as he picked himself off the floor. He seemed lost for a moment, his eyes staring off at nothing. Perhaps remembering his loved ones. Stopping at the bottom, she rested her forehead against one of the rungs, allowing the cold metal to help ease her headache.
There wasn't any way she could un-hear the pain in his voice when he'd spoken of his wife and daughter. She wanted him to go back to the man who was big and rough, who she didn't particularly like, but didn't hate. Now he was the man who'd lost his family, who was the first to care for her after she'd been hurt, and who was gentle when she didn't expect.
Cass stumbled back a step from the ladder and looked around the empty living area on the Milano. Like they said, the others had cleaned up after her, but only just. Touching the dried patch of glue on her forehead she sighed. If she wasn't a bit more careful she might become attached to these people.
Drax sat back in Caden's abandoned seat and watched the vast open space through the glass. For a moment, short as it had been, he'd been too personal with their newest crew member. It wasn't as if he'd said anything personal, everyone knew how he felt about Thanos. Now that Ronan was defeated, there was only Thanos left on his path to revenge.
It was when he'd grabbed the man. Something felt strange. Drax flexed his hands that hung loosely between his knees. There was lingering warmth that he was unaccustomed to. It wasn't as if he'd never touched another man's flesh before. He had his fair deal of strangulations, stabbings, and an occasional jovial pat on the back. Never before had the sensation lingered, ghosting across his fingertips like a long forgotten memory he wished to cling to.
Drax pulled out one of his knives and ran his thumb along the blade. Still sharp. None the less he retrieved his sharpening stone from his pocket and began the calming motions.
The way he reacted to Drax when he'd simply placed his hand to his neck was insulting. He'd merely meant to press the muscle to the side of his neck to relieve Caden's tension. A small act of kindness he'd learned from his wife.
"Hey, where'd Caden go?" Gamora pulled him from his thoughts just as agitation had begun to take hold.
"I'm unsure," Drax spared her a backwards glance.
She was already turning to leave when the thought crossed his mind. Gamora, while dubious in her choice of company, might have an opinion on the subject worth hearing.
"What do you believe it means for one to continue feeling the warmth of another once said other person leaves?" Drax asked quickly before she had time to leave.
"Excuse me?" Gamora turned back to him, brow knitted in confusion.
Perhaps she had not heard him properly. "what do you be-" Drax began.
"No I heard you I just don't understand," Gamora cut him off and crossed her arms.
Drax thought back over his words. They seemed simple enough, "which part is too complicated for you?"
Gamora growled at him, Drax cocked his head to the side, unsure where her anger stemmed from. "Are you talking about Quill? Has he said something to you?"
"Do not fret. I'm not referring to him, though from his tales I'd question his standards. I refer instead to myself." Drax shifted so he sat sideways in the seat and could easily look over the back to her.
"To…you?" Gamora asked, disbelief in his word evident enough in her hesitation.
"Correct. Now answer the question." Drax demanded. This conversation was becoming tedious and he wished to have his answer immediately. There were many things he needed to think about that he doubted she would have the answers for.
"Well…" Gamora crossed the room and sank into one of the wall seats across from him. "It sounds like perhaps, if you keep feeling the sensation, it's because you don't want it to end. Did you and this person share a connection?"
"When I grabbed Caden…it was strange."
"Is it that you find him attractive?" Gamora asked with a straight face.
"Nonsense," Drax grumbled. "I've never threatened a child sized being before, perhaps it merely felt unusual because of his size."
"Or, you have feelings-"
"That's all I needed, you may go." Drax clenched his jaw and returned his sharpening stone to his blade. There hadn't been a point asking someone such as Gamora, her feminine attribute obviously blocked her logical thinking. Drax ignored the strange growl that Gamora sent him, she often seemed agitated for no reason.
Stashing his sharpening stone in his pocket, Drax rose to his feet and slid his knife in its sheath. There was no connection between Caden and himself. It was merely the man's small stature that had thrown him off.
Rocket paced his room. Caden's efforts in securing the Milano were…admirable, at least for someone of his skill level. He'd seen the passed out Ravager's returning to consciousness when he'd gotten back. What bothered him was that Caden used a pan. He'd knocked them all out with a pan, and the one guy he'd used a knife on, he'd only stabbed in the hand.
It was obvious that the guy had been abused by someone. From one tortured soul to the next, he got it. Caden didn't want to kill and turn out like whomever it was that hurt him. Whatever. It was his choice. Now if it had been Rocket, then those Ravagers would have been meeting whatever unholy maker they worshiped, if any.
"You need to calm down," Groot watched him pace and think.
"I will not calm down, there's something we're missing," Rocket's ears flattened back and he thought over everything for the billionth time. "Where were you by the way?! You let Castor do all the work."
Groot swung his legs lazily back and forth from his seat on Rocket's bed. "I stood in my pot like you told me to."
Rocket growled. He had told Groot to go to his pot and pretend to be a tree if anything bad happened. While he was already taller than yesterday, he wasn't in shape to fight off a group of Ravagers. "You're getting too big for that dolt, you look like a humanoid tree now." Rocket stopped his pacing and waved his arms in the air at Groot's larger body. "Not the best freakin' camouflage anymore."
"Then I'll stop hiding." Groot caught sight of something in the air and followed it. Rocket squinted but didn't see what he saw, must be dust.
"No, that's not what I'm saying," Rocket rubbed his chin. It was true that the larger Groot got the faster he seemed to be growing. But it was too soon. He didn't want to have to grow him from a twig again, and frankly his nerves couldn't take losing his closest friend a second time. "You got me off track." Rocket growled. He didn't want to think about when Groot died for them.
"He wasn't trying to save the ship," Groot said suddenly.
"What?" If he wasn't trying to save their ship then what could he have possibly been doing?
"He was trying to keep me safe I think," Groot reached out and touched the invisible dust he was watching with fascination.
"Then why'd you freaking hide!?" Rocket asked, throwing his hands in the air in exasperation. He understood Groot better than anyone, but still didn't understand him enough to figure him out.
"Because you told me to stand in my pot," Groot shrugged and stood from the bed slowly. His childlike movements were fading rapidly and he was turning back into the old Groot.
"So from now on, forget the pot," Rocket rubbed his paws on his face and tailed after Groot out of his room. He pointedly ignored the little voice that said Caden wasn't such a bad guy. Until he figured out what he was hiding, he was a potential threat.
Something wafted down to the floor and grabbed his nose. Reluctantly he sniffed deeply, and let the smell drag him down the hall. He was a threat that made damn good food.