I don’t even know..
Tony was poking around in alien plant life when he shouldn’t have and got sprayed with something. Groot saw the whole thing. The Guardians were on a new planet looking for a rare stone for Rocket. It was in the forest that they were trailing through. Stark a recent addition to their group was curious. He’d only been with them for a few months and all the new stuff was still so fascinating to him.
So when he started lagging behind, Groot was the only one that took notice.
“I am Groot.” The tree was turned away from the retreating Guardians and watching Stark poke a very vibrant flower.
Rocket laughed, “Ha! Stark’s a grown ass man, he can take care of himself.” Even though he tried to play indifferent, the modified raccoon turned around. He saw Stark, inspecting a flower he didn’t really recognize but something in his gut told him something was going to happen.
“I am Groot.” Groot was talking to Rocket but still watching Tony like a hawk.
“Yeah, yeah. Hey guys!” Rocket went to catch the group so he missed the flower opening up and spitting out a dust like gas in Tony’s face. Groot on the other hand was right there, catching the mortal before he could fall backwards.
Gently Groot lowered Tony back until he was sitting. From his position, the un-armored man looked up at his tree companion. “Hi Groot,” he smiled, down at the dazed human, “can I have a hug?” Like a child, Tony lifted his arms up to the giant tree who curled his branch arms under him. Lifting him up like a baby and holding him close.
“I am Groot!” Suddenly the Guardians were running back to them and when Tony spotted them he smiled wide.
“Hi guys!” He waved and wiggled so Groot moved to let him down.
“Tony what happened?” Peter was in his face, looking over his glazed eyes and checking him over. When Tony did nothing but giggle and fall back against Groot’s legs Quill got worried. “Shit Tony, listen okay? How do you feel?”
It seemed like Groot behind him and Peter’s hands on his shoulders were the only things holding him up. His mind also could focus because he was about to tell Peter something but then Gamora moved behind him and he was waving at her. Peter turned to look at what he was looking at and his gripped loosened. Tony dropped down, legs weak and so he just sat on the ground, head back and looking up at Groot.
“Groot!” Tony laughed and reached for the tree but his arms quickly dropped back down.
Gamora stepped forward, “Groot what happened?”
“I am Groot. I am Groot.” The tree kept one hand on Tony’s head while the other gestured at a flower near them, “I am Groot. I am Groot. I am Groot.” He picked Stark up like a child, hands under his arm pits and gently put him back on his feet. Although anytime he let go, Tony’s legs gave out so he just held firm.
Rocket stepped forward, eyeing Stark suspiciously, “You mean to tell me this so called genius put his face in an unknown plant and it sprayed something in his face to get him acting like this?”
“I am Groot.”
“Unbelievable! Come on, let’s get this moron back to this ship.” Rocket turned, big gun perched on his shoulder. Drax turned to follow.
“Rocket, Stark cannot be a moron if he’s a genius.”
Tony waved at their retreating backs, “Drax!” Groot looked down, seeing Tony reach for his teammate he decided they should be together. Picking up the drugged mortal, he stepped forward and draped him across Drax’s bare back.
Out of some kind of reflex, Drax reached behind him to support Tony’s butt. Meanwhile, Tony had taken to curling around the engraved alien like a koala baby. “What is the mean of this?”
“I am Groot.”
“He said that Stark here wants you so you can carry him back to the ship. Think of it as an honor.”
He did, Drax took some kind of new found honor in carrying Stark like some kind of child. On either side of them, Gamora and Peter cooed at Tony. Smiling and waving as he did the same thing back. Groot remained in the rear to make sure Tony didn’t fall or get hurt.
