happy mother's day!
///
You were fiddling around with the base of your blaster, trying to fix something that was continuously breaking inside of it. As you concentrated, you walked through the Milano. It was early in the morning. Half the crew was either asleep or lazing around, slowly getting ready for the day's events.
You sighed, annoyed with your weapon, and smacked the bottom of the blaster. As you did that, the toe of your boot got caught on something. You tripped, stumbling forward and almost falling on your face. If it wasn't for the extremely messy table that you were able to grab, you would've.
Looking down, you saw a huge pile of Groot's junk. And on the table, more of his junk. Toys, games, vines... it was littering the whole ship.
"What the heck..." You shook your head and called out, "Groot? Can you come in here, please?"
You heard him emerge from his room. He was rubbing his eyes and yawning. "I am Groot?"
"You left all of your stuff out last night," you said.
"I am Groot."
"Well, can you pick it up, please?" you asked tiredly.
"I am Groot."
"It's okay," you sighed, "just pick it up. Nearly busted my face open trying to walk through here."
At the same moment, Rocket emerged from the bedroom he shared with Groot. His paw scratched through the fur on the left side of his face that had been pressed down from how he was laying.
"Morning, Rocket," you said.
"Mornin'," he muttered, voice groggy. "What'cha gettin' in trouble for already, Groot?"
"He left all his toys and games out. I tripped over them this morning."
He nodded and rubbed his face. "How many times do I have to tell you to clean up after yourself?"
Gamora walked through, fully awake. "Like you're one to talk, Rocket. Both of you are the messiest on the ship."
"I am not," he mumbled.
"Please!" Peter emerged, pulling on a t-shirt. "Your junk is all over the place! I just walked by your room and saw a pile of weapons which I can only hope are not explosive!"
"Why would you hope that they're not explosive?" Rocket asked. "Of course they're explosive, they're weapons. The explosive aspect of 'em is what will save our butts next time we're in a tough situation."
Peter held his arms up in surrender, his eyes wide. Gamora sighed and shook her head. "Rocket, can you go put them in a relatively safe place?"
You watched him get up and sigh. He shook his head and trudged to his room. "Rocket do this, Rocket do that."
You looked to Groot, who had finished cleaning and was sitting in the corner, playing a game that took all of his attention and focus. "Groot." You snapped your fingers to get him to look at you. "Groot, honey, can you help him? Then you can play your game."
He sighed heavily and rolled his eyes, but he obeyed. You offered him a smile as he went, and then you started to get breakfast ready for your crew.
"Why do you call him honey?" Peter asked, sitting down at one of the chairs that sat around the table.
You shrugged. "I don't know, I just do."
He raised his eyebrows. "It's weird."
"How is it weird?" Gamora asked.
"It's like you're his mom or somethin'," he muttered.
You blinked. "He's just a kid, Peter. He can't have a bunch of foul mouthed, angry people talking to him all the time. You know how bad his mouth is right now, and it's all because he hangs around with Rocket."
You walked around the table.
"Still weird..." Peter sang quietly.
You threw something at his head.
//
"It's my room anyway, why are they so worried about what it looks like? It's my ship, too. Why do I need to..." Rocket continued on muttering as he picked up his weapons off of the floor and stuffed them in drawers and on top of shelves. "Hope this is safe enough for you, Gamora."
"I am Groot."
Rocket turned his head. "Put that down, Groot. You're gonna be the one to kill us all."
Groot listened. He sat down on the side of his bed. "I am Groot?"
Rocket's ears perked upwards. "What? Why are you..." But noticing his sad, wondering expression, Rocket shut up and answered again, softly this time. "No, Groot. ___'s not your mom. "
"I am Groot?"
"Not Gamora, either," he said.
"I am Groot..."
"You don't, uh, have a mom," he said. Before Groot started asking more questions, he finished with: "You got us. We all take care of you."
The bed creaked as Groot laid down on it. He turned away from Rocket and muttered, "I am Groot."
Rocket didn't answer - he didn't really know what to say. But the meaning behind his words was ringing clear in his head.
I want to call her Mom.
//
You knocked on Rocket and Groot's door. There was a muffled noise inside, and then the door slid open. You looked down at Rocket.
"Hey, you guys can come out to eat breakfast, you know," you said.
"You cookin' or Peter cookin'?" Rocket asked.
"I'm cooking," you said.
"Then I'll eat."
You laughed.
"But, uh... Groot's sleeping."
You furrowed your eyebrows in concern. "Really? Is he okay?"
"He's fine." Hastily, he pushed by your legs, letting the door slide shut. You crossed your arms. "Don't go around tellin' everybody, okay? It'll embarrass the kid."
"Rocket, what is it?"
"He asked me if you or Gamora was his mom," he said.
Your face softened. "Oh."
"Yeah." He scratched the back of his neck. "Now I told him neither of you were-"
"What? Why?" you asked.
"'Cause you ain't?"
"How is him calling me mom or Gamora mom any different from him calling you his dad? He's just a kid. He shouldn't have to feel upset-"
"I didn't want him to feel upset! I just didn't want him to start callin' you mom if it was goin' to upset you-"
You stared at the closed door. Biting your lip, you said, "I'm gonna wake him up."
"You're gonna what?"
You opened the door and said over your shoulder, "Breakfast is ready on the table. Enjoy."
"Are you serious?" he hissed. "You thick skulled-"
The door shut behind you, silencing Rocket. You stood in the doorway and Groot rolled over in bed. "Hey, Groot."
"I am Groot?"
"I wanted to talk to you." You walked over to the bed and sat on the floor. Propping your elbow up on the bed, you smiled at him. "Rocket told me that you asked if I was your mom."
He looked away, gulping. You could tell he was embarrassed.
"Groot, honey, don't be embarrassed. It's okay. You can call me mom just like you called Rocket dad." You touched his arm. "And I can guarantee that you can do the same with Gamora."
He smiled slightly, hesitantly.
"I know you don't have biological parents here, but... we are all a family. And if you want to call us your moms and Rocket your dad, do it. Because we all love you, kiddo." You moved onto the bed. "And I would be - and am - lucky to be your mom."
He threw his arms around you. His face came crashing into your chest. Slightly surprised, you jumped a little, but wrapped your arms around him quickly.
He whispered, "I am Groot."
You hugged him a little tighter. "I love you too, honey. So much."