Temporary Home : Chapter 27
Guardians of the Galaxy fanfic | Reader x Guardians (With Yondu and Kraglin!)
Summary: Seems you might have gotten a little too cocky with your prank, will there be consequences?
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Author’s Note: Oops! Didn't mean for this one to be this long lol. Also, for my records this chapter ends on day 80 of the Guardians living with reader. Enjoy!
Word Count: 7,043
Woken up by knocking, you glance at the digital clock on your desk.
Barely 4:30 in the damn morning... and you knew it must be Fury. Well, it wasn't a midnight check-in, but it might as well have been. You mentally cursed yourself for jinxing the situation- sleepily reasoning that if you hadn't made the comment to yourself that one of these days he'd show up at midnight to keep you on your toes, then maybe he wouldn't be so early now.
Begrudgingly, you got up and descended the stairs, having waved Gamora and Kraglin, who the knocking had woken up as well and had emerged from their rooms to see what was going on, back to bed.
You opened the door to a bright and fresh-looking Fury and Agent Hill. Maybe it was that you were still half asleep, but you could have sworn they looked pleased with themselves.
"Where are your charges, Agent?" Fury asked, as if he didn't already have an idea.
"Sleeping," you said flatly, with just enough edge that made it clear you wish you still were too.
"Very well." Fury replied before adding, "Might want to get some shoes on and help Agent Hill with the packages."
"Packages?" you asked. "But you just restocked last week?"
"Different packages. Figured they'd be needing some warmer clothing in the coming months. Just some sweaters and jackets. Figured we'd bring them early just in case- can't be too careful, now."
There was an edge of amusement in his voice that solidified to you that he was doing this on purpose to annoy you, so you didn't bother responding. Just glared shortly before turning to throw on your boots and a jacket.
It was a damp, chilly morning, but not freezing or anything. Just cold enough to make you very much wish you were back in your warm bed instead of going out to bring in packages- apparently by yourself too for as soon as you came back out and Maria opened the van Fury 'suddenly' needed her to look at something. To make matters worse it appeared there was one box for each of the eight Guardians. They were each big enough that you could only manage one at a time, but at least they weren't too heavy.
You carried them all into the kitchen and left them on the floor, and miraculously Fury was only finished with Maria once you carried in the last box. However, he had some disappointing news.
"Sorry Agent, but it appears we were given the wrong boxes. Mix-up back at SHIELD. Gonna need you to load them all back in the van and we'll have to do this again next week."
He had to be kidding.
You glare at Fury for a moment, but obey the order without a word. Sooner this was done and over, sooner you could go back to bed.
Maria made to come help you out, only for Fury to claim he needed her to review something again 'real quick.' To you it was clear they were putting on a show to mess with you, but you didn't know why. Were you being punished for something?
The boxes all now loaded back into the van, you close the hatch and walk over to Fury and Maria, hoping that would be an end to this visit.
"Well, wouldn't you know it- Seems there was a mix up about the mix up." Fury said when you came near.
You just stared at him incredulously. Did he seriously-?
"Yup. That means those were the right boxes! Sorry about that. Guess we better get them unloaded again. Maria can help you out this time."
Not saying a word lest you say something you'd regret, you turn back toward the van, not waiting for Maria, only to be halted by the van having locked when you closed it and needing to wait for her to catch up and unlock it anyways.
Both you and Maria grab a box, but before Maria so much as lifts hers, Fury calls her back over to review some 'intel.'
You were definitely being punished for something. Had to be. But you didn't know what.
All eight boxes having been loaded back into the kitchen you return to Fury and Maria looking quite grumpy. "Anything else?" you ask.
"Nope. Not unless there's anything you need to tell me." Fury answers.
You couldn't read his face to tell if this was a standard check-in question, or if he wanted you to think he knew something and was giving you the chance to come clean with whatever it was.
"No, everything and everyone has been fine," you answer curtly. "Nothing's changed since last week." You didn't know what he might be getting at, but you were too tired and grumpy to acknowledge his game- assuming he was playing one.
"Alright," Fury answers. "We'll be going then." And with that he and Maria started back towards the van, just like that.
You watched them approach the van, and just as Fury was getting in the driver seat he stops and looks at you over the top of the door, still halfway out of the vehicle.
"Oh, Agent, one more thing," he said. "Make sure to keep a good eye on your charges. We wouldn't want any running off and getting lost, would we?"
He didn't wait for a response before fully getting into the van and closing the door to drive away.
You, however, just stood there gobsmacked. Did he-? How did he-? Somehow he must have known about what happened with Mantis the previous day, but how??
You already knew the answer. He knew because he was Fury. Man has eyes everywhere. Probably put a tracker on your car for all you knew.
Well, nothing really for it but to go back to bed, and so you did.
* * *
The rest of that day and the next were pretty uneventful. Each Guardian figured out which box was for them and stored their jumpers away. They each got two jumpers, one black, one grey, and a thicker jacket in a dark blue color that was clearly meant for winter. Two months too early to be useful right now, but you knew Fury knew that.
You also noticed someone even made teeny jumpers for Groot, which were adorable, despite them having been packed in the same large box as all the others. One of the Guardians made comment on it, but you just shook your head and brushed it off, knowing it had been done on purpose to aid in the punishment Fury sprang on you that morning.
Other than that, you spent your time reading, cleaning, and pranking Peter with the remote any chance you got, provided it wasn't during one of the times you handed the remote off to Rocket.
And given that you hadn't seen anymore spiders, all that combined you were relaxed enough and having enough fun that you actually once again forgot about inspecting the tunnel. However, you only realized this around time you were going to bed.
Sure, doing it at night would solve the problem of any nosy eyes peeking about, but you also worried that if Mantis woke up to find you gone again and alerted the others it could cause unnecessary drama, so you better not.
Geeze, keep this up and the whole thing will likely be caved in before you ever got to it...
You resolved to definitely do it the next day. No exceptions.
* * *
About those 'no exceptions...'
It was raining when you woke.
Not just rain, either, but a full on downpour. It hadn't rained this hard since that first night the Guardians came. Hell, it was coming down worse than that night, and it obviously wasn't letting up anytime soon.
Sure, technically you wouldn't get wet inspecting a tunnel considering it had one entrance located in the dry safety of your cellar, but you also found yourself less willing to adhere to your 'no exceptions' plan anyway, justifying it with how the tunnel wasn't going anywhere and how, now that you thought of it, maybe it'd be easier to avoid the others noticing your absence if you started from the woods and worked your way back toward the house.
Under the guise of you going out for a walk, no one would wonder where you disappeared to for so long, and you already knew the door back there needed replaced anyway. You could order those brackets you never bothered to get, build the door, then find a way to get out and do it at night. Not so late that you'd have to worry about any drama or Yondu's annoying habit of somehow knowing when you intend to go out in the middle of the night, but late enough that someone would be less likely to look out the window and see you actively dragging a door into the woods. Or better yet, take it out in smaller pieces and assemble on site.
If you were being honest though, that was all just a bunch of reasoning to justify to yourself that you just didn't feel like doing anything today as you watched the rain pour out the window from your spot at the kitchen table.
Yondu and Rocket were there as well, the three of you finishing your respective breakfasts without saying much.
You were grateful not to have to experience storms like this often, though you did remember a time when you used to love and be comforted by them. Now that comfort was negated by a nagging physical reminder that you often suppressed either with alcohol or ibuprofen, and unfortunately for you, it seems you had let yourself run out of medication. When you went to grab the bottle from the cupboard before sitting down to eat you found the bottle empty, and with a sigh you tossed it in the bin. You must have finished it off at some point without realizing it. A stiff drink would be your next choice, but you felt it would raise concern to be caught breaking out the whiskey first thing in the morning.
Oh well, you'd get through it. It's not like you hadn't had worse.
Contemplating whether you wanted to go back to bed, or to watch TV in the sitting room, you got up to wash your cereal bowl.
Rocket watched as you got up, and noticed how stiff you appeared when you stood. He hadn't been expecting it, and his memory momentarily flashed back to the morning he saw those scars. Could you- well it could make sense... nah. He was being stupid. Overthinking it.
But-? Come to think of it, you did appear a little stiff when you'd went to sit too... Could that mean-? Nah. Again, overthinking it.
None of you brought attention to said stiffness as you rose, but Rocket did raise his eyebrow and tossed a glance over at Yondu as these thoughts ran through his head, and he simply nodded. They had shared an unspoken conversation. A theory had been hypothesized, and then proclaimed to be true despite any actual evidence other than what the two of them had witnessed during their time with you. Could have been projection on their part, but the pieces did fit a little too perfectly with the aid of hindsight.
Little did you know, Rocket was in a similar boat as you, though he'd never just come out and say it. That might involve feelings, people feeling bad for him, and he wasn't about that crap. Instead, he'd just self-medicate or suffer in silence. Well, aside from irritable grumblings.
The only other one who seemed to have any idea what it was like for him was Yondu, though to a lesser extent. Neither of them ever really had a conversation about it- not out of any sort of shame or anything, they just didn't need to. From experience, they both knew what metal does in a mammalian body, and an unspoken understanding formed between them about their respective situations.
They could also theorize now, with the aid of hindsight, that you likely had some in yours, too.
* * *
Opting to watch something on TV you now sat curled on the sofa wrapped in both a cardigan and a throw blanket as you surfed through Netflix. It wasn't actually that cold to need both, but the extra warmth did help you feel better.
After a bit Mantis came in and flopped on the sofa next to you, happily asking if you wanted to join her, Drax, and Groot in a game they learned from the TV called "duck, duck, goose."
"Will you play!? It looked like so much fun!"
While admittedly you believed it would be amusing to see someone as large as Drax play said children's game, you weren't up to all the up and down and running about it would entail, and so you declined.
Mantis looked disappointed at first, and like she might try to persuade you, when Yondu spoke up from the table in the back where he had been playing cards with Kraglin and Rocket.
"Hey, Bug. Go see if Peter will play with ya. I think I remember him trying to get some of the crew to play a game called something like that with him when he was a boy."
Mantis immediately stopped looking disappointed and happily took Yondu's suggestion, quickly darting off to find Peter.
With Mantis gone and your brain now filled with images of big, scary-looking space pirates playing children's games, you had to ask. "Did they ever do it? Play with him, I mean?"
Yondu grinned slightly, and looked down at his cards. "Never when they knew I was watchin', but a couple of them used to, on occasion."
You saw him briefly glance at Kraglin, and though Kraglin was facing away from you, you could tell he had just become very interested in the wood grain on the table.
* * *
You must have fallen asleep at some point, because you woke up gritting your teeth in pain to an apologetic Peter who, for whatever ungodly reason, was sitting in your lap.
"OwOW-Ow! Motherfucker, get the fuck off!" You cry out, laced with more expletives as you pushed him off of you.
"Oh shit! Oh shit! I'm sorry!" Peter exclaimed as he nearly fell on his ass off the sofa, now very worried that he had injured you seeing as you were now rubbing at your hip and had turned your face into the back of the sofa. "Shit- please don't tell me I made you dislocate something else!"
He reached towards you, and as if you could sense it you barked at him, "Do not touch me. I'm fine."
"Oh, like I'm gonna believe that- That's what you said last time too," he said, referring to the time when you dislocated your elbow- of which he still felt guilty for.
Pain finally starting to subside you now glared at him, "I'm fine- you just mostly startled me," you lied, angrily, "but what the fuck do you think you were doing?"
You could see now that others had heard the commotion and came to see what was going on. Mantis was half hiding behind a confused Drax with Groot on her shoulder, and Gamora had just peeked around the sitting room door looking concerned. Behind you, out of your eyeshot, you had the other three's attention as well. Yondu watched on all frowny, while Kraglin and Rocket were still processing what idiocy must have just taken place.
All at once, Peter, Mantis and Drax began talking. So did Groot, but you couldn't understand him. Eventually you were able to piece together that apparently their Duck Duck Goose game had changed into a game of hide and seek tag, and someone, for whatever dumb reason, had declared you the safe space, and for whatever dumber reason, Peter thought it'd actually be funny to plop into your lap as he declared himself safe.
When they finally finished rambling you just blinked at them, unsure what to say. Mostly you just wanted them to go back to leaving you alone, so you decided to use what some might call 'Mom Voice™,' and scolded them. "I could have sworn I said at least once not to be running in the house-"
"I am Groot," Groot interrupted.
You blinked and raised an eyebrow, not expecting to be cut off.
"Um, he says that you only said not to run in the kitchen... and we never did run in the kitchen..." Mantis translated shyly.
Your eyes narrowed, and you genuinely had to catch yourself before you told them off to their rooms before immediately feeling silly for nearly sending three adults to their rooms like they were children, so you settled again for 'Mom Voice™: Version-Scary' and said, "You all better go find something else to do quietly that doesn't involve jumping on top of me."
Getting the hint that a great fuck-up was made, the four of them scattered, and you could hear Gamora giving Peter further scolding as he exited the sitting room.
With them gone you turned, stiffly, to face forward on the sofa and glanced out the window to see that the storm was still coming down pretty good. You rest your head back with a sigh, rubbing your hip some more before tossing off the blanket and scooting to the edge of the sofa so that you might get up. Maybe retire to your room where you could properly lie down and read or something- assuming the stairs wouldn't give you too much trouble.
With a deep breath you make a move to stand, but abort mission partway up and sit yourself back down.
You try again, with the same result.
Alright. Annoying, but you genuinely knew you were fine. Just need a minute for the ache to subside from Peter jumping on you, is all. Just a minor setback. Next time you'd remember to stock up on pain medicine. You didn't know what had gotten into yourself to just run out like that. However, now that it was on your mind, what better time than now to take out your phone and place an order for some more.
Better to pace yourself anyway, you told yourself as you opened the shopping app. Better that than push too hard and wind up limping out of the room, as that was bound to result in pointless comments or worrying from others. In the meantime you'd just sit and watch the rain. Breathe through it. You'd been through much worse- so you should be up in no time.
Wasn't long until Yondu appeared beside the sofa, Kraglin and Rocket at his side. "Look like you could use a drink," he said lightheartedly.
You stare at him a moment and then nod. Damn right you could. "I'll catch up," you respond. "I think there's an opened bottle already in the fridge." Sure, it was still early, but you didn't care anymore, and at least you wouldn't be drinking alone. Perfect excuse.
Yondu communicates to Kraglin through a slight motion of his head, and Kraglin responds with an equally slight nod before heading off toward the kitchen saying, "I can get us some glasses down then." Rocket, who understood the same message, followed behind with a quip about how he bet he'd be able to outdrink you.
Once they were gone Yondu moves to stand in front of you. Not directly in front, but sort of toward the side. One might describe it as blocking the view of where you were sat on the sofa from the doorway. He wouldn't describe it that way- but someone might.
Giving him a quick glance, you repeat, "I'll catch up, go ahead."
Yondu doesn't speak, just holds out his hand.
You glance at his outstretched hand, then up at him, then back down into your lap again. His expression had been blank, and you didn't know why he was still there, offering out his hand. There was no way he could know, but why else would he offer? Was he making fun of you? No, you're just being paranoid. His lack of expression also seemed to point that his intention wasn't to mock, but you were still reluctant to accept his offer. You didn't need it. Never needed help getting up before, saw no reason why you'd need it now.
Trying again, softer, yet more forcefully than before, "No, really. I'll catch up."
Yondu simply cleared his throat.
You glance back up at his face, seeing his expression was still blank, with maybe just a hint of, 'Let's not make this harder than it needs to be.' You sigh, able to tell, for whatever reason, that he wasn't going to take no for an answer.
So, with a quick glance around him to make sure no one was looking, you took his hand.
* * *
The next day was much better. The storm had started letting up sometime after you started drinks with the guys, and by that night you were feeling much better.
Better enough that the next day you woke up ready for some well deserved mischief.
The day before you hadn't gotten much use from the prank remote, both due to having slid it to Rocket the previous night and the whole weather related crankiness thing. But, Rocket had gotten it back to you this morning and you set to use it the first chance you got.
You walked into the sitting room where Peter was already watching TV with Kraglin. You would have winked at Rocket as you walked in, but he had his nose buried in some manual over at the table. (And if you knew him better, that alone would probably leave you worried about just what he was intending to tear apart.)
Glancing over the bookshelf you pretended to be busy looking for something to read for a few moments before clicking the button on the prank remote to mute the TV.
Peter groaned immediately. "Seriously?? This again??"
You unmute it.
Peter wasn't done complaining. "I seriously think your TV is broken, Agent."
Feigning disinterest, you respond, "I don't know what to tell you, it always works fine when I'm watching." You put on a show of pulling down a book, pretending to mull it over, and placing it back to sell your indecisiveness as Peter grumbled and returned to watching his show.
And then you hit the button to shut the TV off.
Smacking noises could be heard and a glance confirmed that Peter was smacking the remote thinking perhaps that was the cause.
In your best annoyed tone you scold him, returning your gaze to the books. "Dude, don't abuse the controllers. Maybe that's why you can never get it to work."
Peter protested. "I swear it's not me! That's literally the first time I've hit it!" That was a lie, but still, he wasn't wrong about the issue not being him, even if he didn't fully know it. "Maybe there's a loose wire or something!"
"Did you try changing the batteries, Quill? You always forget the batteries." Rocket chimed in, also feigning annoyance with his friend.
Sounding slightly defeated, Peter turns to you and asks if you have any spare batteries he could try.
"Sure, there's some in that drawer over there," you say, gesturing to a short chest of drawers by the window.
There was the sound of the remote being placed on the coffee table and then Peter stood up to get the batteries. He barely takes one step when the TV turns back on.
"What the hell???" Peter exclaimed.
"See, it's working now," you say, opening a book you had just pulled from the shelf. "Maybe it wasn't the batteries after all."
"I already took the batteries out!"
"Oh-" You look to see the remote in his hand and then glance over to see the batteries on the table. Well shit. You should have been paying more attention. "Weird." Glancing at Rocket, you see that he is now paying extra attention to that manual. He barely looks up at you, clearly realizing you fucked up a bit. You glance back at Peter and put on your best confused face. "Put them back in, I guess? Maybe you were right about a loose wire?"
Peter's eyes narrow. "What do you have in your hand?"
Brushing it off, you scoff, "A book?" and snap the book shut for emphasis. However, you knew full well he must have caught a glimpse of the tiny remote in your hand that you were hiding behind said book.
"No- you have something else! Have you been pranking me this whole time!?"
"Don't be ridiculous."
"Show me your hands."
"Excuse me?" You lower the book to your right side, not breaking eye contact.
"Show me your hands," he said again, fully facing you with his arms crossed. The sofa still separated the two of you and while Peter was now standing, Kraglin remained sitting, watching back and forth between the two of you like a tennis match.
"Ugh, fine." Rolling your eyes, you hold up both hands, still holding the book. "See," you pass the book between your hands to show him each hand was empty one at a time before once again lowering the book to your side, this time on the left, "Nothing in my hands- other than this book. Happy?"
Peter eyed you suspiciously.
"You done now?"
"Hand me the book."
"What?"
"I said, hand me the book," he repeated, taking a moment to discard the remote onto the table next to it's batteries to free up his hands.
Laughing, you oblige. "You're ridiculous- here."
Peter accepted the book, and looked it over, not fully sure what he was looking for. Finding nothing, he handed it back. "I know this has got to be you somehow."
"Why? Literally what have I done? I'm just looking at books."
Rocket spoke up. "Hate to agree with the Agent, but you're looking real paranoid right now, Quill." He definitely wasn't helping you- he was just... protecting his investment. If you messed this up then the whole prank was over and then a perfectly good device would be wasted. Well, at least until he tore it apart to make something else, anyway.
"Do not!" Peter protested.
"Do so. Now keep it down, some of us are trying to read here."
Peter waved his hand at Rocket dismissively and returned his attention to you. "Fess up, and I might go easy on you."
Well that didn't sound good. You had no idea what he might mean, though you suspected he was declaring another prank war. Regardless, you needed to play it off. You scoffed, "Go easy on me?? You must be joking. I didn't do anything!"
"Fine, if that's true, you'll have no problem letting me search your pockets." Peter retorted with a smirk.
"What? No. I'm not gonna let you search me!" You reply, playing up your offended act.
"Aha! So you admit it!"
"There's nothing to admit!"
"I know this has got to be you!"
"Why do you assume it's got to be me? Kraglin's the one always around when it happens!"
Kraglin was momentarily offended and started to express so, before a sudden silence fell on the room. Peter's eyes widened, and he couldn't help but grin. At the table behind you, Rocket internally groaned but retained his outward appearance of not being invested in what was going on.
You had fucked up.
"Ohhhh" Peter said with a cocky grin. "Tell me, how exactly do you know that Kraglin is around every time it happens."
"Well- I... he-"
"Gotcha!" Peter exclaimed, and started around the sofa towards you.
You immediately took off in the other direction, and in short order the two of you were still separated by the sofa, but each now at opposite arms.
Rocket made a show of looking annoyed and choosing to leave the room just as Peter went to chase you back around the sofa the way you came so you wouldn't be able to run out of the room, and you took this as a chance to drop the remote. You had to time it just right, and hope that Rocket was paying enough attention and cared enough about his creation to snatch it before anyone saw.
You ever so briefly lock eyes with Rocket whilw he was trying to avoid getting stepped on as he was leaving just as you rounded back around to stand again at the opposite sofa arm as Peter, only this time the two of you had more or less switched sides. You held the remote behind you and felt Rocket sneakily snatch it out of your hand as he walked past toward the door.
Not a moment too soon either, because just as Rocket was leaving Peter lunged around the sofa for you again, corralling you once again toward the back side, only this time you didn't stop there.
Just as you were about to round to the front of said sofa yet again, Peter said to Kraglin, "Quick, grab her Krags!" and Kraglin happily obliged, standing just quick enough to block you, but not steadily enough to catch you properly. He did catch you, but the two of you almost ended up on the floor when you half-tripped over him before he finally got a good grip on you.
Fuck.
"Peter, listen-"
"Nope." He returned to the front and helped Kraglin wrestle you face down onto the sofa where they both sat on you to hold you in place, Peter on your lower back and Kraglin on your legs, all while you protested with profanities. Once they had you more or less settled and a quick pat-down didn't reveal anything Peter spoke again. "Ready to come clean?"
"Oh, fuck off!"
"Suit yourself." Peter started gently poking at your sides and ribs. "One last chance..."
"Get off!" you scolded, holding back your giggles and still trying in vain to squirm out from underneath them. You should have guessed he would default to that kind of childish tactic. "That's not going to work!" you scold him.
"Hmm... So you do admit there's something to get out of you." Peter grinned. "That's alright. I've got time." And with that he started to properly tickle you.
You fought against the urge to laugh, all while attempting to smack at Peter, throw him off, and scold profanities at him all at once.
Kraglin, who you would had practically forgotten was still sitting on your legs had it not been for the lack of ability to move them, just huffed a laugh out his nose and shook his head at Peter's childish antics, of which he wasn't going to attempt to stop considering you tried to frame him for whatever it was you had been doing with the TV.
For that reason, now that he thought of it, why shouldn't he join in the fun? He could easily reach your feet, and you couldn't possibly kick him now like you did the last time...
"Hey Agent, remember back when you found it so funny how me and Rocket got tangled in that hose? And how you couldn't quit laughing every time you saw me- so I fixed to give you something to laugh about, but then you kicked me something fierce?"
You barely registered any of what he said, too busy fighting off Peter and failing. So, when he reached down and scratched at the bottoms of your feet with such a gentleness that you would never have expected from the man, it actually managed to finally startle a laugh out of you, and from there you were unable to hold back anymore laughter as the pair tortured you for the crimes you wouldn't admit to.
Seconds later Yondu walked into the sitting room, looked upon the scene, and raised an eyebrow. "Do I wanna know?"
Peter briefly paused, as did Kraglin, and told him of your crimes. "She's been pranking me the whole time with the TV! I don't know how, but I know it's been her! Figured a little... 'gentle persuasion,' would get her to talk."
"And she tried to frame me for it" Kraglin added.
They then resumed tickling you right as you began protesting your innocence and stating their lack of proof.
"Ah..." Yondu said with a slight nod of his head. Now, he could have scolded Peter about it being bad form to resort to torture without proof of a crime- yada yada... but honestly, Quill probably learned that behavior from him. So he opted to not get involved. Also, he, of course, already knew you were guilty as hell and probably had this coming. So, instead, he just continued on with what he came in there to do. He picked up the game controller from the table to surf Netflix, and only bothered putting the batteries back in the the other remote once he realized he was probably going to need to turn up the volume.
Just as Yondu ignored the happenings on the sofa, Peter and Kraglin ignored his presence as well, and went about their business tormenting you.
"Ready to confess and say sorry yet?" Peter questioned, once again pausing his torture for a moment along with Kraglin.
"Get off and go to hell-haHA!" you replied, the end of your sentence punctuated by laughter as Peter resumed tickling.
Kraglin found that what Yondu put on the TV held his interest more than tormenting you, so he took a break- lounging back to watch the program while remaining on top of your legs to hold you in place.
"Shame," Peter said in mock disappointment, "This can all be over if you just admit what you did and apologize..."
"I did nothing you lihittle shit!! Get off me!" you scold through your laughter. You weren't going to give in, and he should've guessed that. You had told him before that you were trained against torture, after all.
Peter dramatically sighed and continued, this time moving his hands up your sides to attack your armpits.
Immediately clamping your arms to your sides, you shriek, though it was muffled into the sofa cushion where your face had fallen now that your arms were no longer propping you up, and you let out a string of sounds through your heavy laughter. "NOTTHERE!NOTTHERE!GETOFF!!AHHH!!!"
"How is this not fair?" Peter said mischievously as he moved his fingers back down your sides, his goal being to not linger in one place for too long so hopefully you couldn't get used to a sensation. "I told you the rules. Fess up and apologize, and I'll stop."
Yondu chuckled from his armchair and spoke up, unable to resist. "I don't think she said 'not fair,' boy." He grinned wider, remembering back when he had teased you about being vulnerable to torture. Seems you were proving him right. "Pretty sure she said 'not there.'"
"Ohhhh!" Peter said gleefully. "Well in that case, I think that's exactly where I need to focus!"
Of course, him returning his hands to your underarms caused you to let out another scream, only for it to be cut off by Peter playfully shoving your face back into the cushion to once again muffle it. Kraglin found his interest in the mischief renewed with your screams and decided to join back in, which of course only made you shriek more with the unexpectedness of his touch.
Yondu just turned up the volume on the television to drown out your squeals- that rat bastard.
When you could think more clearly you were going to get them all back for this. For now, though, all you could do was struggle uselessly under your attackers and shriek with laughter. The ticklish feeling under your arms was nearly unbearable, and having your feet tickled at the same time just made your situation all the more maddening.
But you knew they would learn sooner or later -hopefully sooner- that you weren't one to give in or beg for mercy. Never had been. You knew better. Give in once, that would only tell your enemy that they found an effective way to get what they wanted out of you in the future.
Sure, this wasn't actually as serious as being in the field, where being captured and tortured for information generally had never (in your memory) included tickling, but still, good principle to stand by considering how your housemates acted like overgrown children.
Outside the sitting room, Rocket sighed and stood. He had taken up residence on one of the steps to listen-in out of curiosity. See if you'd talk. Crack under the pressure. See if you'd spill the beans, or even try to rat him out to either save yourself or take him down with you.
So far he was actually impressed that you hadn't talked, given how you were carrying on. Not bad, for a Terran.
However, once he heard your laughter turn to screams he figured maybe he better go find Gamora to call Peter off before he tickled you insane.
Not because he felt he owed you a favor because he felt guilty for the previous day or anything. How was he supposed to know that you would have needed the pain medication? Right, he couldn't have. Sure, he was at fault for not realizing he put the bottle back empty after he took some of it to relieve his own weather-induced pain, but how was he supposed to know you'd need it? That's your fault for not telling anyone that you very likely had some sort of hardware in your body. ...Right? Right. So he totally wasn't doing you a solid out of guilt or anything.
So... why was he doing it? Because, shut up. That's why.
He thought he remembered seeing Gamora go outside with Mantis, and he was right, spotting them almost as soon as he opened the back door.
"Hey, might wanna go save the Agent from Peter," he called out nonchalantly, walking toward the shed.
Gamora raised an eyebrow and walked closer to him. "What?"
He continued towards the shed, replying over his shoulder. "Yeah, they got into it over something or other. Now he and Kraglin got her pinned to the couch." He opened the shed door and shrugged. "Figured you might wanna break it up before they kill her or something. Up to you though, not my problem," he said just before entering the shed.
Gamora and Mantis shared a look of alarm before rushing inside, which was quickly replaced by relief to see that you were only being tickled, and not, as Rocket had implied, engaged in a fight with Peter and Kraglin.
"Alright, break it up." Gamora said in a commanding voice that one could perhaps find laced with a bit of relieved humor if one listened very carefully. She remained standing inside the doorway, hands on her hips. Mantis stood slightly behind her, looking both curious and amused.
Peter halted his actions and turned toward her, looking disappointed. "But she-"
"Don't care. I'm finishing it."
With a dramatic sigh Peter dismounted you, as did Kraglin- who simply stood and moved his butt over to the other armchair and continued watching the TV with Yondu like nothing happened.
"Kill-joy," Peter muttered.
"What?"
"Nothing!" Peter turned back to you as you pulled yourself into a sitting position to catch your breath, your cheeks still pink from laughter and residual giggles still escaping your throat. "This isn't over," he said, "I know you did it someh-"
Gamora cleared her throat. "I said, break it up."
"Let it go, boy. Ain't like you ain't pranked her tons of times before." Yondu chimed in, mostly not wanting to deal with the start of yet another prank war between the two of you. Surely that was enough revenge for a simple prank.
You smirked slightly at Peter, causing him to frown. You clearly felt like you had gotten away with it, and Peter clearly felt injusticed that you might.
"But we were in a truce!" Peter whined in Yondu's direction.
Damn. Yondu couldn't argue with that. Bad form to walk back on a truce- and he knew Quill would likely site him as the one who taught him something about that. Not that he'd ever admit to it. Of course the boy would only listen when it could come back to bite him in the ass. Yondu looked at Peter, then at you, and then back at Peter. He sighed- it was the only thing he could really do- before finally waving his hand in a dismissive gesture and saying, "Whatever. Just make sure ya don't annoy me."
Peter pumped his fist with a cheer while you and Gamora gave Yondu similar but separate looks of surprise.
Had Yondu seriously just given Peter permission to get revenge against you? Because it sure as hell sounded like it. What happened to 'If there's one thing we don't need it's you and Quill startin' another prank war! It always ends in trouble'?
Gamora looked like she wanted to say something, but opted instead for just rolling her eyes and pulling Peter out of the room. Just before exiting the doorway he turned and did the 'I'm watching you' signal, while you sat there, still dumbfounded from Yondu's apparent sign off on Peter's future shenanigans and the fact that you were all, apparently, abiding by schoolyard rules.
"Ya done it now," Kraglin warned nonchalantly, continuing to watch TV like nothing had happened.
"Yup." Yondu agreed, leaning further back into his chair.
"Ya ain't supposed to go back on a truce." Kraglin added, shaking his head gently, barely bothering to glance at you.
"Nope," Yondu agreed again, resting his arms behind his head casually.
Kraglin knew Yondu well enough to know that he hadn't technically given Pete permission for anything, not that Peter would have waited for or even wanted it anyway. What he had done though, was stated that he wasn't going to get involved or stop whatever Peter might decide to do. Truce was a truce, and while Yondu wouldn't want to deal with the likely scenario of being in the crossfire of any potential new prank wars, (as Peter was wont to do), he wasn't about to deny a man his revenge justice for a broken truce. And seeing as you tried to frame Kraglin for that prank, Kraglin wasn't going to get involved or try to save you either.
Kraglin looked over at Yondu as he stood. "Think I'm gonna make some popcorn, ya want some?"
Yondu gestured that he wouldn't mind some popcorn and Kraglin left to fetch them some from the kitchen.
You continued to sit on the sofa, wondering how exactly you, an Agent of SHIELD, had managed to get yourself involved in a prank war for a third time- or was it fourth? You had lost count.
Well, you supposed you better sleep with one eye open tonight.
