Amongst the Stars // Peter Quill

Lasagna Lovers

With Gamora and Charlie switching on navigation and Peter and Rocket continuously arguing over who was the pilot and co-pilot for the hour, they got the Milano going in the direction of Sovereign.

They traveled through only a few systems a day, considering they had a human and a half-human with them, which meant the risk for hyperspace jumping was heightened in their cases. It would take a week or maybe less to reach the planet. 

In that time, Rocket was devising new technology for the team. He understood, after some research on the Abilisk, that it was several hundreds of feet taller than he was. He went to work on building, 'jet pack lookin' things' for the team.

Charlie took his spot as copilot. She leaned on the chair, watching the swirls of bright, eccentric colors fly past as the Milano cut through systems to reach Sovereign in record time.

Peter's hands rested on her waist. He put his head next to hers, leaning into her body, fitting them together like the puzzle pieces they were.

"Doing okay?" wondered Peter softly.

"Same as always," whispered Charlie. "I'm preparing myself for this."

"It's not like you're gonna do much fighting, anyway. I thought this time you could leave the fighting to the big guns."

Charlie tensed. She wiggled and she squirmed until Peter released his hold on her. She turned to face him, her face scrunched with criticism. She didn't have to say anything for him to understand the effect of what he had uttered.

Peter sighed, shaking his head. "No, baby. No. I mean, like, you're only human and--"

"--So were you until about six months ago," snapped Charlie. "You don't get to dictate my ability here. I know you're worried, Peter. I know you want to protect me. But I've spent years in the galaxy without your worry and nothing bad has happened."

"'Nothing bad'?" repeated Peter. "'Nothing bad'? Did we miraculously forget the bar fight you got us into?"

Charlie groaned. "That was seven years ago!"

"And you lie when you say your hand doesn't still hurt!"

"It doesn't!"

Peter's mouth dropped. "You were frickin' stabb-"

Rocket's familiar rhythmic clicks of his paws pounding against the floor alerted the fighting couple to stop yelling. They turned to face the doorway of the cockpit, fake smiles on their faces to assure everything was okay for the moment.

"Hey, guys," said Rocket, shoving a compact tech square into each of their hands. "Prototype. Try 'em out for me?"

Charlie examined the device in her hand. "'Prototype,' Rocket, that would be the key word. Which means there's a high chance of failure."

Rocket blinked at her slowly. He then grinned, as if he had winked successfully, then said, "Nothing bad will happen! They're my work, anyway."

"Did you just try to w--" started Peter, but Charlie brushed a finger over his lips to hush him.

"Let's talk to the Sovereign leader, first, then we can explore the planet and use those?" suggested Charlie.

"Sounds like a plan," sighed Peter.

Rocket climbed up the side of the copilot chair to see the galaxy as it passed by. He stood, balancing himself on Charlie's shoulder. He hadn't noticed his tail wrap around her neck, too.

Peter felt himself smile as he watched Rocket and Charlie speak. Rocket was nicer to her, for whatever reason. He leaned on her and she was the first person he came to when he made a new gadget and he was defensive over her when they walked along new planets. Something had connected them, more so than the other Guardians. He didn't tolerate Charlie; he liked her.