Summary: Mantis experiences a new emotion radiating from her closest teammate in the Guardians, one that she comes to discover is, oddly enough, directed at her.
Requested by @unneededmultifandomimagines: Sorry aha! I like JUST found your account so I wasn’t sure :) Could I Maybe have some Mantis x Female Reader fluff..? Where maybe Reader saves Mantis from like whatever and when she grabs her (to save her) Mantis happens to feel like how much Reader loves her..? And they talk abt it on the ship after? Sorry this is so long! If not that’s fine, thanks for reading this :))
Key: (Y/N) - your name
Warnings: battles, reference to fireworks, explosions, near death experience, a little kid is in danger for like a paragraph, FLUFF, its that gay shit again :D
Word Count: 964
Note: listen pride month might be over but the gay is not
Ships soared overhead, painting the night sky with bursts of colour and explosions of light. One would imagine it was fireworks, something pleasing to the eyes purposefully, but it was nothing like that. The ships were burning, exploding, collapsing on themselves in brilliant shows. It wasn't beautiful for the poor people on the ground getting rained upon by debris and ashes.
The Guardians of the Galaxy were spread out across the alien city. Rocket was in the air, using their ship to fight off any hostiles he could manage. Gamora took care of the ones on the ground with Drax and Quill. Meanwhile, Mantis, Groot, and (Y/N) were in charge of civilian evacuation.
Oceans of people were being evacuated left and right. It was almost too much for two women and a tree to handle, but their combined efforts put a dent in the needs of the people.
Mantis was clearing out a courtyard in the near center of the city when dark shadows loomed over the cobblestone walkways. She shouted out a warning to the crowds of people nearby, watching them scatter as warriors descended from above.
They spread out and she did her best to contact Rocket, warning him that they'd slipped past his defenses.
The empath spotted a small child cowering behind a bench nearby and raced to his side. She lifted him from the ground and was instantly washed in his pain, his terror, his need for comfort. Shoving it all aside was something she was used to, especially when she needed to focus on the lasers flying towards her.
Suddenly, the ground shook below her feet and the child in her arms yelped. A crack in the ground roared, echoing across the courtyard as it split its way toward them.
Mantis had barely seen it at first, managing to throw the child across the gap to his mother in the distance before the floor below her crumpled. She cried out, reaching for the edge of the earth that just slipped past her fingers.
Before she could plunge into who knows where, a hand grabbed her wrist, holding her up.
(Y/N) groaned with the effort as she held up her companion, reaching out to grab her other wrist. Mantis gasped at the sudden stop and looked up, meeting (Y/N)'s dilated pupils.
Mantis didn't have a moment to help (Y/N) by pushing off the cliff or anything similar. She was suddenly overwhelmed by wave after wave of a single emotion wrapped in layers of panic and fear and concern. She didn't identify it at first, as it was something she rarely got to feel from people who let her read them.
The feeling shook her to her core when she realised it was directed at her. It was like a warm meal on a cold day, a tight embrace from someone you love. Love. That's what it was.
What Mantis felt radiating off of (Y/N) was pure, intense love.
And it was all for her.
"Mantis, push up!" (Y/N) shouted at her desperately.
Only her voice woke Mantis from her trance, snapping her back into action to save herself. She found the strength to push over the cliff side, (Y/N) helping to pull her up. She landed on the ground with heavy breaths and shaking hands.
"You okay?"
She nodded hesitantly. "Better now. Thank you."
"Anytime," (Y/N) said as she smiled softly.
Mantis barely registered the words, a little too lost in her friend's eyes to comprehend any language. She'd never felt such strong emotion, much less emotions directed at her. Nobody had ever felt that way about her-- not that she knew, anyway.
Later, on the ship, as the Guardians set a course for their next adventure, Mantis sat beside (Y/N). She was busy patching up her minor wounds in the back of the ship, away from everyone else.
"(Y/N)?" Mantis asked as she sat.
"Oh, hey, Mantis," she replied too quickly. "How are you doing? That was a close call earlier."
She nodded. "(Y/N), um, when you grabbed my hand to save me-- I felt something. It was very...strong. Do you think--?"
She motioned loosely to (Y/N)'s wrist, indicating that she'd love to experience it again.
(Y/N) was clearly hesitant about the whole ordeal, but nodded anyway, holding up her arm. Mantis took it gingerly, the ends of her antennae glowing so bright that (Y/N) had to glance away. She bit her lip as Mantis took in all her emotions, digging through them to find the constant, warm one she'd experienced earlier.
"Love," she whispered when she found it.
(Y/N) smiled, eyes glued to the ground and refusing to meet her companion's eyes when she released her arm, the connection broken.
"For me?" Mantis asked, eyes wide.
"Who else would it be?" (Y/N) mumbled, feeling something akin to shame, more likely embarrassment.
Mantis grinned wider than she thought she ever had, taking (Y/N)'s hand again. This time, it wasn't to bring the connection back or to feel the love she had. Rather, it was for (Y/N) to understand the love Mantis reciprocated. She almost wished she could be an empath, too, just so she could understand it. Then again, there were other ways to express love.
(Y/N) nearly jumped from her chair when Mantis pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek, intertwining their hands comfortably.
"I have love for you, too," Mantis declared.
(Y/N) went to sputter something, but it was useless. She was rendered speechless by the action and took to leaning her head against Mantis' shoulder instead.
Mantis found another action that resembled love, too-- the warmth of another's hand wrapped in yours.
Summary: Your teammates, the Guardians of the Galaxy, have a habit of making people uneasy. While they don’t get along very well with Mantis at first, you find her to be perfectly agreeable. Little do you know, you might be the first person to ever really befriend her.
Requested by Anon: Oh! I had no idea you had 1 request! I thought you were swamped with them, so I haven't been sending mine... What about a Mantis x Reader where she feels your platonic emotions? I feel like that could have some potential, and be fun for you to write! You're looking for inspiration, no?
Key: (Y/N) - your name
Warnings: mentions of prison, imprisoned for a crime they didn’t commit, cursing probably?
Word Count: 849
Note: i LOVE YOU TYSM MANTIS IS THE BEST HDKSHDkH its short but im proud of it also u said platonic emotions so i assumed & Reader if not pls tell me and i’ll write an x reader bc hONESTLY I LOVE HER
Meeting a Celestial being who happened to be the father of your teammate and friend, Peter Quill, was not quite how you were expecting this day to go. Every day with the Guardians of the Galaxy was an adventure, but all of you-- all of you-- had Daddy Issues, so you had never expected to find out that someone on the team had a semi-decent dad. Okay, he was suspicious at best, but it was way better than Gamora’s situation.
You specifically found it very odd how Ego kept Mantis around. As if his name wasn’t enough of a red flag, the fact that Mantis obeyed his every command like some sort of servant didn’t sit well with you. If she was paid, maybe you’d understand, but you saw no sign of a wage involved.
Mantis was very sweet to the lot of you on the way to Ego’s home, even when the others were uneasy about her, especially when it came to her abilities. Everyone in the team was an emotional wreck and they didn’t enjoy the fact that she could read them so easily.
When the poor woman moved across the ship to sit beside you, looking rather dejected, you knew they must’ve put her down.
“So, you’re an empath?” You asked, clearing your throat.
She looked up with wide eyes before she broke out into a small smile at your curiosity. She nodded softly. “Yes. I can read emotions just by touching a person.”
“That’s...kind of cool, actually,” you admitted.
“Could I--” Mantis raised a cautious hand to gesture at your shoulder. “Could I read you?”
You nodded, though somewhat hesitant. You weren’t ashamed of any emotions you had, frankly, but you were a little worried about her nudging into your private life nonetheless.
Her antenna glowed as she placed her hand on your shoulder, getting wave upon wave of emotion from you. You watched with furrowed eyebrows as she let out a small gasp and smiled, an expression you were slowly getting used to.
“You are...happy,” she said suddenly, using her other hand to gesture to your teammates across the hall, who weren’t paying attention whatsoever. “Because of them.”
You laughed a little, nodding and staring wistfully at them. “Yeah, that...makes sense.”
“You feel welcome with them,” she continued. “Like part of a family. That’s very nice. You are worried for them a lot.”
As she drew her hand away from your shoulder, you shrugged. “They’re idiots. I can’t help being worried.”
“Are they really?” She asked with a frown.
“Eh,” you smiled. “They’re not so bad.”
Mantis nodded ecstatically. “They’re your family.” She bit her lip. “Why do they make you so happy, (Y/N)?”
“I, uh, I’m not sure,” you admitted. “I guess because I’ve never had a family before, not like this.”
Her face fell. “Never?”
“No. I was abandoned as a kid and grew up on the streets,” you said quietly, almost ashamedly. “Then, I got blamed for a crime I didn’t commit and put in prison, where I met them. They saved me and, well, I’ve been stuck with them ever since.”
You looked over at Mantis to find that she was smiling again. “That’s a nice story. I wish someone would save me like that.”
“What?” You frowned suddenly, glancing between her and the distant Ego, who was asleep because of her. “Mantis...do you need saving?”
“No-- no,” she said quickly, clearly distressed. “I don’t know why I said that. Sorry, I have to go.”
You watched her walk away, heart in your stomach. Something was definitely wrong there and you were going to find out what.
One second you were leaping across gaps in the ground and the next you sprinting toward Mantis. A boulder was flying right for her head and she didn’t see it. If you didn’t step in, your new friend would be a squashed bug.
“LOOK OUT!” You cried.
You slammed into her, knocking the both of you to the ground as the boulder went flying past. You managed to climb off of her before she groaned in pain.
“Oh, thank god,” you muttered. “I thought I’d killed you.”
Mantis sat up, shaking the dizziness away before looking at you with wide eyes. “You saved me.”
“Don’t mention it,” you shrugged.
“You were…” She paused, hand hovering atop yours, though you had barely realised it was still there. “You were scared and-- and worried. About me?”
You nodded instantly. “Of course, I was, Mantis. You almost died.”
“But you were…” Mantis trailed off. “Why?”
“Because you’re my friend,” you told her.
She was silent and you realised in that deafening quiet that she’d probably never heard those words before. She confirmed your theory when she looked over at you in complete awe.
“I’ve never had a friend,” she whispered.
You grinned. “Well, now you do.” You took her hand and helped her to her feet as you stood. “C’mon. We’ve still got some egotistical ass to kick.”
Mantis giggled at that as you started to drag her away. “Okay, friend.”
