Day 5, Week 3
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Peter: *wakes up and finds himself in someone's room*
Mantis: You are awake *sitting by his bedside once more*
Peter: *rubs his eyes* Where am I??
Mantis: Quill's ship.
Peter: And, how long was I out??
Mantis: Three days.
Peter: Three days?!!
Mantis: Most of your neurons froze up from your time in Space. The rest are still shocked, but you will recover in a matter of days.
Peter: Mantis—
Mantis: Of all the crazy things I know you did, none of them compare to what you recently pulled!!! *angry and upset* Why did you try to come after me??
Peter: *hesitant to answer* I wanted to see ... If I could convince you to come back. You left this behind *hands her the brooch she gave him*
Mantis: But I already told you I wouldn't. You know why. And keep it *gestures to the brooch* it is meant for you.
Peter: *looks at it closely and sees slight burn marks around it* This ... Was what you retrieved from the cinema fire! *realising*
Mantis: It is just a token of my appreciation. For being my friend. I've had it since the attack of The Chitauri.
Peter: *looks at it for a long moment before pinning it to her collarbone* I look horrible in green. It's more of your colour. As is Earth.
Mantis: But I am not like the other girls on your planet *getting teary*
Peter: Exactly. You're the sweetest, generous and most compassionate girl I've ever known. You made my days pass by faster than you know, and you taught me how to find the bright side of things. I would've never known how to appreciate the small moments in my life if I haven't met you.
Mantis: But ... I'm not like Liz.
Peter: *freezes at the mention of that name*
Mantis: You still think of her. In your dreams.
Peter: How do you know about that??
Mantis: That morning in the hotel room, almost two weeks ago.
Peter: Mantis, look. It's not what you think it is—
Mantis: Do you still love her??
Peter: W-what??
Mantis: *looks at him sorrowfully* Do you, still love her??
Peter: What, no! I ... Thought I could never love anyone as much as I loved her.
Mantis: Now what do you think??
Peter: That I was wrong, and that I love this person more.
Mantis: And who is the person??
Peter: ... You *holds her gaze*
Mantis: *remains speechless*
Peter: That's why I went after you *takes her hand* Come back with me, Mantis.
Mantis: I ... Can't *pulls her hand out of his grasp* You should go. Please.
Peter: What are you so afraid of? What's holding you back? Do you have like, some Cotati alien boyfriend or something??
Mantis: What are you talking about?! I am single! The only other men I was with besides you and the Guardians was Ego!
Peter: *smiles weakly* Glad to see you haven't lost your sense of humour.
Mantis: *looks away*
Peter: Listen, I can't force you to come back with me, but I just have three more questions, and I need you to answer them truthfully.
Mantis: ... Alright.
Peter: That morning we met on Titan. Do you regret going into that ship to look for Thanos and finding me there instead??
Mantis: No.
Peter: Do you regret coming with me to Earth and getting to know my world better??
Mantis: No.
Peter: And if you could, would you do it all again ... With me??
Mantis: ... Yes.
Peter: You know, I can imagine us living together, getting married, raising a couple of kids—
Mantis: And that'll be nothing but a fantasy!
Peter: No. That fantasy can happen. But only if you let it.
Mantis: If you choose to be with me, your life will never be the same! Every time you step outside, people will stare, laugh, mock us.
Peter: But if I choose to be with you, I'll also wake up everyday in the morning, see you lying beside me, and I'll get to fall in love with you all over again.
Mantis: *tears run down her face as he speaks*
Peter: We can make that life come true, but it's your decision if you want it or not *looks at her hopefully* What do you say??
Mantis: *has second thoughts about what he said*
*The room is still and quiet*
Mantis: *frowns*
Peter: *whispering* What was I thinking?? *starting to leave the room*
Mantis: *launches herself into his arms* I'm sorry *sobs heavily into his shoulder* For everything I said earlier. I'll come back ... With you.
Peter: Hey, Mantis *takes her face in his hand* look around you.
Mantis: *glances around the room in utter confusion* ... Why??
Peter: So you'll remember where you had your first kiss *pulls her into a sweet kiss*
Mantis: *the most shocked she's ever been but kisses him back*
*Both pull away, their foreheads resting against each other's*
Peter: *hears a creaking metal floorboard*
*They turn to see Drax at the doorway*
Mantis: Drax!
Drax: I was just leaving.
Peter: Dude!
Drax: It wasn't just me. Quill and the others did it too!
Mantis: *realising what he's saying* Alright everyone come out!!
*Quill, Rocket and Groot all show themselves from their hiding spots around the room*
Peter: Ok that is not cool to eavesdrop on other people! Especially if it's meant to be a private conversation!
Quill: It's just that you guys were taking forever in there! And by the way that's my room if you were wondering, so I have every right to barge in!
Groot: I am Groot.
Quill: See? Even Groot agrees with me! So *now talking to Mantis* going back to Earth, huh?
Mantis: Yes, but I'll still visit you guys! And Peter can come with us on our adventures.
Quill: Oh-ho I'm pretty sure it's not just the adventures he's seeking *raises an eyebrow and smirks*
Mantis: That's not—he wouldn't—would you?? *asking Peter*
Quill: *nods and grins widely as he imitates his pinky finger going into the hole in his fist*
Peter: Wha—NO! Definitely not without your permission—
Rocket: The heat is on between these two love bugs *laughs maniacally and fist-bumps with Quill and Drax*
Drax: They're both right! Things have been boring during the past three days until you two showed up!
Rocket/Quill/Drax: *starts singing at the top of their lungs* PARKER AND MANTIS SITTING IN A TREE!!!
Mantis: Stop it! You're being so immature!!! *blushing furiously*
Rocket/Quill/Drax: K-I-S-S-I-N-G!!!
Peter: *feels like crawling into a hole and dying*
Rocket/Quill/Drax: FIRST COMES LOVE, THEN COMES MARRIAGE, THEN COMES THE BABY IN THE BABY CARRIAGE!!!!
*Sings all the way on the trip back to Earth*
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