Friends
Rocketober: Day 1
Word Count: 2.0k
Warnings: Suggestive themes implied.
Summary: When Kraglin finds you in Rocket's quarters, he questions his captain on who you were. However, Rocket isn't ready to answer that just yet.
~
It wasn't often that you found yourself anywhere near, let alone on the Bowie. It was too dangerous, even in stationary. You could stumble over stray wires or exposed pipes, you could hit a bunch of buttons and cause the ship to explode, or you could take ship for yourself and never return to Knowhere ever again.
Of course, those were Rocket's over exaggerations. He really just didn't want to see you get hurt on his ship, meaning it would be his fault.
In his eyes, at least.
The only times you were on the Bowie was when he was there. Only him. The rest of the ship would remain empty and silent, the only thing heard being the distant echoing of moaning, partnered with the wet sounds of pleasure.
Good thing the ship was soundproof when it needed to be.
After however long you were there for, Rocket always, always walked you home.
"For two reasons," he'd say. "One, gotta make sure my girl gets home safe, 'cause what kinda partner would I be if I didn't?" And, "two," he had hesitated before mentioning this to you, "I can't have the crew knowin' about you just yet."
Many thoughts had run through your head that day. Questions and doubts, was he embarrassed of you? Ashamed? Rocket wouldn't even associate himself with you if that was the case, he made sure you knew that.
You pondered on his reasoning, wanting to know why you had to be kept a secret from his family.
You were only left worrying for a few seconds before he added to his cliffhanger of a sentence.
"I'm not ready, princess. Not yet."
You understood his side. And with a nod, you respected it. And it hadn't been brought up since.
Spending time with Rocket on the Bowie wasn't rare, but it certainly wasn't common. The rare thing was being left alone on the ship.
It was the next morning when you realised where you had spent the night. His bunk had never been the most comfortable bed to have sex in. That just added to the many reasons why you'd go to your place, usually per his request.
You had more pillows, your blankets were softer, your bed was bigger. Rocket occasionally got genuinely worried that if he didn't set his alarm, he'd never wake up. Being surrounded by your warmth and scent was a trap, and you used it often when you didn't want him to leave. And why would he want to?
So it wasn't a surprise when you woke up with a leg and an arm hanging over the side of his single mattress, with a slight cramp in your neck, and the sheets half way up your bare back.
The bed was barely able to fit you comfortably, let alone both of you. Yet another reason as to why Rocket adored your living space. It was made to have him in it.
One of your eyes peeled open, glancing around the room and taking in every piece of his quarters.
His projects were scattered in every corner, on every spot of the floor and covering his desk. Pieces of metal littered, lost, and forgotten, or perhaps left there for when he returned to fiddle with them however he pleased.
Wearing nothing but the sheets of his bed, you sat up with a groan and ran your fingers through your hair. Visualising how messy it must look, you reached for your brush, only to be reminded that this wasn't your room. Meaning your clothes were elsewhere.
Your eyes scanned the floor, searching through every piece of tech, metal, trash, and clothing that belonged to your dearest Rocket, who constantly told you to “watch out” and “don’t touch that”. Your gaze settled on the outfit you had worn the previous night, bundled up nice and neat beside the bed.
He had a tendency to fold your clothes the morning after an eventful night. You'd never catch him doing it. But you always knew it was him.
And he, being Rocket, was currently nowhere to be seen among everything that littered his living space.
You stood and stretched before picking up and examining your clothes.
No stains. Better than last time.
You two had gone out for a dinner, a rare occasion that Rocket wasn't particularly fond of, but he sucked it up for you. Begrudgingly, but he did.
The outfit you had chosen was much too fancy for the state you were currently in. But it's all you had, so it had to do. It revealed as much as you wanted and covered what you wished.
Rocket had yet to return to his quarters, and you remembered how clear he was about you roaming the ship without him.
So, you waited, respecting his wishes and staying in his room, on his bed, prolonging your morning routine as best you could with what you had.
You weren’t sure when he’d be back, and you weren’t even sure when he left, but you assumed if he had left you here alone, it wouldn’t be long.
The smooth sliding of Rocket’s bedroom door opening made your head snap up.
“Rocket, you—“
Your eyes locked on a man’s stomach for a single second when you realised that was not the face of the raccoon you had spent countless nights with.
Letting your eyes quickly flick up to his face, seeing a short brown and grey stumble along his jaw and a tall red fin wired into his head like a mohawk. His light brown long sleeved shirt came in contrast to Rocket’s short sleeved blue one.
His focus went from the device in his hand to your face, taking note of the smudged make up and your slightly disheveled hair.
“Who are you?” He had asked after pausing. Startled but not scared. Definitely confused.
“I’m…”
You couldn’t tell him how you were connected to Rocket, that was the one and only thing on your mind. Didn’t matter who this guy was, you had made a promise to your partner.
“Why are you in here?”
“I’m a friend of Rocket’s.” Your words were quick. You thought it was the best, and most harmless thing you could say to this stranger.
It was obvious he knew Rocket. That fact was made clear by him simply being on the ship is such a relaxed manner, without others to guide him around.
“Oh,” his voice was quiet, almost unsure. “A friend?”
You nodded and blinked once when your eyes had started to sting from keeping them so wide for so long.
“And why isn’t he in here with you?”
The amount of questions he was asking made you nervous. You almost thought he knew the answer to all of them, but the confusion on his face told you he was genuinely baffled that a stranger was in Rocket's quarters. On Rocket's bed.
You would be shocked too, if you weren't the one being talked about.
“He left.”
“Left?”
“Not sure where. Or when.”
You weren’t entirely helping your case here, but it was the best you could do to avoid telling this man who you were really were to Rocket.
At times, you weren’t even sure who you really were to Rocket.
The man’s eyes glazed over you, every part of you, taking in every detail almost is if he was making a judgement on what to do you with you.
It wasn’t the most comfortable stare, but his eyes didn’t seem to carry any malicious intent.
“Might be best for you to wait outside for the Cap'n to come back."
He spoke politely but his face was stern. And rightfully so too, you couldn't blame him. Based on his knowledge, you could have snuck onto the ship and taken anything you damn well pleased.
Of course, that wasn't was what happening at all.
But you couldn't tell him that. 'Not yet', per Rocket's pleading request.
With a nod, “sure, of course,” you left the room.
The man followed behind you by just a few feet. A reasonable distant to be not too close, but able to be certain you were heading towards the exit.
Making it to the open doors of the ship was an awkward journey. The sounds of your footsteps clanked off the walls no matter how soft you attempted to walk. Your posture was straight and your head was up, yet it was clear you were embarrassed by the red tint on your cheeks.
You took in each detail of the ship that you seemed to have missed all the three or four times you had visited the inside of the Bowie. Wires, bags, the occasional chewed up toy, it wasn’t just a ship the Guardians eused for missions, it was a home.
It made you want Rocket to bring you here more often.
But that was something for you ask when you weren’t being escorted out of the ship by one of his crew members.
You reached the large open door of the Bowie, the same Guardian still guiding you further out of the ship.
"What are you doing?"
Your eyes had landed on Rocket before he managed to ask that question. He took his last couple steps towards you, but his eyes were locked on the person who had confronted you back in Rocket's room, the man who was still standing behind you with his hand on your back, a subtle motion to forbid you from trying anything.
You felt like you were being arrested, which you technically could have been, if any of the Guardians chose to do so.
"She was in your quarters, Cap'n." He explained, almost with a stammer.
"I know." Rocket's gaze flickered over you, showcasing a twinge of softness before locking back on his fellow Guardian. "I left her there."
"You ... Respectfully, Rocket, I think leaving your … hook ups alone on the ship," he spoke carefully, "ain't the best idea."
"Hook up-?" Rocket took another step closer. "She's not a fuckin' 'hook up', Kraglin."
Finally knowing the man's name brought some ease to your soul, letting you exhale through your nose, quiet and soft. It was comforting, in a way, to know the name of at least one of the people Rocket spends each of his days with.
"i just ..." Kraglin glanced at you. "I just assumed-"
"Can you get your hands off her?"
Kraglin's hand dropped from your back as he took two cautionary steps to the side. "Uh, yeah, yeah, sorry ... ma'am-"
"Don't call her 'ma'am'."
Kraglin took one extra step back. "Right." He was surprised by Rocket's hard glare. It wasn't angry, but somehow eerie. His stance was relaxed while his eyes were unblinking. "Who is she?" Kraglin built the courage to ask.
"My ..." Rocket now froze. His glare transferred to you, his eyes softening once more as his mind searched for the best answer to give his co-pilot. His brain rattled for an explanation as to why this strange woman was in his room. And in that outfit.
The moment he had taken it off you last night was still fresh and replaying in his mind.
So was the moment he folded them the morning after.
"She's a friend."
Kraglin looked at you but your eyes were on your friend. Taking in every piece of his expression and body language just to know if he believed his own words.
"Alright." Kraglin hesitated while his hands brushed against his pants twice before extending one to shake yours. "It’s nice to meet you."
Slight confusion made your brows furrow. The tension in your face quickly melted when you looked at his hand then into his eyes. You return the gesture, shaking his hand with a gentle smile.
"You too, Kraglin."
He offered a nod to you and a quick side glance to Rocket. From what you could see, he presenting a sly smile to his captain. A knowing smile.
Rocket only replied by nodding his head and avoiding his eyes, keeping his line of sight to the ground while Kraglin walked off, leaving the two of you in a moment of silence.
It broke when Rocket spoke up while keeping his eyes on the ground, searching the dirt surrounding his feet for something interesting to distract himself with.
"What did you tell him?"
You looked at him, hoping he'd look at you, but the gravel seemed to be holding his attention with an unyielding grasp.
"That we were friends."
His ear twitched, "nothing else?"
You shook your head, "nope. Not even my name."
He sighed, and his eyes gradually made their way up to yours, who had been waiting patiently. His right hand gestured forward, in a way of offering his gratitude, before being placed back on his hip.
"Thank you."
You shared a small smile, understanding his worry. The worry he had mentioned to you before in that trembling voice you had only ever heard from him once.
"You're welcome, Rocket."
~
DAYUM THAT TOOK FOREVER
Anywhozzle, hope you enjoyed Day 1! And I apologise for the future days delay, but they will be posted!
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