Self-indulgent Yondu + OC arts? More likely than you think…
I had some thoughts about Yondu’s whole fin situation which is what’s happening in that top left doodle.
Centaurians have sort of psychic abilities right?
And the yaka metal is sacred to his people and can be controlled via these psychic abilities (telekinesis) which I’m thinking is channeled through their crest/fin (I don’t know if canonically thats true, I haven’t read everything about Centaurians, but I don’t think it is so…fanon license)
Around the age of 18-20 is when these abilities really start to kick in/gain strength
Yondu came of age during his time as a Kree “battle slave” which meant his telekinetic abilities got really strong and him having this crest posed a threat to the Kree so, as punishment (and also out of fear he’d retaliate), cut it off
Soon after that is when Stakar and his Ravagers showed up, they’d been hired to “extract” something from the planet on which Yondu was being held as a slave
They found Yondu, half dead from bleeding out/not having proper care, and a bunch of other “battle slaves.” They freed them.
Eventually the most of the freed people left to start their own lives but Yondu chose to stay, eventually rising through the ranks to become Stakar’s second in command, later earning the rank of captain and starting his own Ravager Clan. One or two of these former slaves also stuck around and became loyal to Yondu so they became the first members of the Udonta Clan. Im thinking some of these were the ones who were spaced in vol. 2 :<
Sometime in between becoming SIC and Captain he went back to his home planet and spent some time with his people, eventually being gifted with an arrow made of the sacred Yaka metal. He also had been in contact with someone who built him a prototype synthetic fin which he had grafted to his skull. He then learned to control the Yaka arrow by using the fin to channel his psychic abilities (telekinesis) once more
Guardians of the Galaxy fanfic | Reader x Guardians (With Yondu and Kraglin!)
Summary: Yondu finally confronts Reader about the late night escapes, and invites himself to tag along, to Reader's dismay.
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Author’s Note: Just Reader and Yondu this chapter.
Word Count: 3,953
You jumped right out of your skin but somehow managed not to cry out, whipping around to see Yondu's silhouette standing in the doorway to the kitchen. It was a bit of a terrifying sight if you were to be honest. You'd hate to see it in a dark alley.
"What the fuck!" you whisper-yelled. "Don't do that! You trying to give me a heart attack!?"
"Don't change the subject. Where ya sneakin' off to?" Yondu had intended to use the voice he used when trying to intimidate an opponent, the one he uses when trying to get the message across that he's not going to take any shit, so ya better just cough up what he wants to know. However, it came out sounding a bit more like the tone he used to scold Peter with when he'd get caught sneaking girls on the ship after curfew.
You did your best to look unfazed and close the door. "First off, it's my house. I'm not sneaking, I'm just going. And what are you doing sneaking up on me?"
You were trying to turn the tables on him, but he wasn't going to bite. "It's the middle of the night and yer being awful quiet about it, ya really try'na tell me that's not sneakin'?"
"Yes." You tried to keep your tone even, but it was hard not to sound annoyed. "It'd be rude to wake up the others."
"Uh huh. Well if yer not sneakin' then why not turn on a light?"
"Don't need it. Lived here all my life. Know the place just as well in the dark."
"Right..." Yondu eyed you, sure that you'd come up with an excuse for anything else he'd throw at you. Might as well just cut to the chase. "Where ya going?"
"Out," you reply, "For a walk."
"You're going for a walk, in the middle of the night?" He could hear it more now, he sounded like he was getting ready to threaten to ground you. Not exactly the tone he was going for. He blamed it on the lack of sleep. Brain must be instinctually reverting to "Yell at Quill" mode. Stars knew he did it enough when Quill was a boy that it became second nature.
"Yes." You cross your arms over your chest, only to realize it made you look like an argumentative teen. Oh well, too late now. You kept them crossed.
"So, you suddenly just up and decided, in the middle of the night, that ya'd fancy a walk, in the dark, in the forest?"
"Yes." you reply again, realizing a second too late that he shouldn't have known where you were headed. "No- Wait I-"
Yondu chuckled. "Save it. I see everything... And I've been mighty curious to know what you've been sneaking off to do at night."
You stare at each other in the dark for some time before you break the silence. "I have the sneaking suspicion that you intend to follow me."
"You'd win that bet." Yondu said with a grin that you could barely see in the dim light.
You roll your eyes. "You'll get bored. Better off to just go back to bed."
"After you." Yondu gestured towards the hall from the doorway. You could hear a smirk in his voice.
You sigh and pinch the bridge of your nose. "I'm not leaving alone, am I?"
"Nope."
You really wanted to leave, and obviously you would prefer to do it alone, but if bringing a suspicious passenger was the only way you could do so, and likely the only way to prevent this happening again, you'd suppose once wouldn't kill you. In fact, denying could potentially only make his suspicions worse, and you didn't feel like possibly being reported to Fury over nothing if he got the wrong idea. You had been on enough jobs to know how quick a misunderstanding could go south. "Ugh. Fine. But you know curiosity killed the cat." Still, it wouldn't hurt to try and convince him to stay behind.
"Ain't a cat. Not even sure what a cat is." Yondu chuckled, fully aware that he was being irritating. He might not have exactly known what the Terran idiom meant, but he still knew it was just an idiom. Enough experience with Quill had taught him that Terrans say strange things.
You look up to the ceiling "Just hurry up."
Yondu disappeared in the hall to pull on his boots and returned a moment later pulling on his duster jacket. You had to admit his silhouette was actually even scarier with the addition of the jacket, but you didn't let it show.
You wordlessly motion him out the door and shut it behind the two of you. The walk across the yard to the tree line was awkwardly silent until about a couple meters away.
"So what ya keep coming out here for anyway?"
You answered with a question of your own. "You been spying on me?"
"Not exactly. Just happened to notice ya out the window a few times, and thought it was odd that you'd be sneaking out of yer own house."
The two of you broke the tree line, finally walking amongst the trees. "I told you I wasn't sneaking."
"Sure, sure," Yondu chuckled. "Ya didn't answer my question, girlie. What's out in this-here forest that keeps ya coming out here at night?" He kept pace with you as best he could. Your steps were sure, the ground was littered with rocks and sticks, but your gait never faltered. You clearly knew these woods well, and it was evident you knew just where you were going. You hadn't even bothered to use a light. Yondu would almost think you had night vision if he didn't already know better that Terrans didn't.
"Nothing. I just come out to enjoy the scenery. Relax a bit," you finally answer.
"Ya know, yer almost a good liar." Yondu chuckled.
"I beg your pardon!" you say, offense fully clear in your voice.
"What? Take it as a compliment," Yondu laughed, unfazed by your outburst. "But yer gonna have to do better than that to pull something over on me. I can spot a lie lightyears away." Ok so he might have been exaggerating, but you didn't need to know that. "And that there, that wasn't the truth."
You scoff. "What do you know? You don't know anything about me and you're really going to stand there and act like you do?" The nerve of him. You should have just pretended to go back to bed and then came back out later, or better yet, oiled the hinge on your bedroom door the other day when you noticed it starting to squeak. Probably what alerted Yondu to leaving.
"I know more than you think." Yondu countered, nearly tripping on a large branch.
"You don't know anything about me." You repeat. You started walking faster out of spite.
A smirk fell over his face. If you wanted to be difficult, fine. He could just have fun teasing you until you loosened up, and he had a feeling he knew just what might push your buttons.
"I know yer ticklish." He grinned, seeing how you visibly tensed.
You run a hand down your face. "You guys aren't going to let that die, are you?"
"Nope," Yondu chuckled, "it's too funny."
"It's not," you say, glad the dark was hiding the blush you could feel on your cheeks.
"I think it is," Yondu disagreed, reaching out to poke you and chuckling when you jumped and flinched each time his finger connected with your side. He grinned, mentally drawing up the theory that you didn't like to show weakness.
You swat at his hand and tell him to quit.
He laughs, but thankfully obeys, saying, "Aw, cheer up now. It ain't that embarrassin'... though I do wonder now why that Fury guy would keep an agent around that seems mighty vulnerable to torture..." He was teasing, of course. Just trying to get a rise out of you. It worked.
You throw him a look of daggers and he holds up his hands in a relenting gesture. "Don't worry, secret's safe with me, girlie," he teased, continuing to grin before nearly tripping again. He sighed, beginning to search his pockets for a light. There was no sense tripping around out here in the dark. You may apparently know this forest floor like the back of your hand, but he didn't, and he most certainly didn't feel like rolling an ankle.
He spoke up again. "I also know yer hiding something."
You freeze for just a moment and then turn to him. "No. Nice try."
He closed the meter wide distance between you. "Ya can deny all ya want, sweetheart, but I can still tell."
"Whatever." You turn and start walking again, this time at a regular pace.
"Don't give me that," Yondu said, finally finding a light in one of his inner pockets. He flipped it on and you instantly covered your eyes, which had been adjusted to the dark and very much didn't like the sudden intrusion of the bright light.
"Agh- Turn that off!" you scold.
"What for?" Yondu asked, he had also suffered slightly from the sudden brightness, but at least he could see where he was walking now.
"Well, besides the fact that you just blinded me- you'll attract bugs."
"Ah right. Yer scared of creepy-crawlies. My mistake." Yondu laughed, making a show of shutting the light off. "Wouldn't want ya to be all scared stiff like ya were earlier."
You glare at him best you could with your eyes trying to adjust back to the dark. "I'm not scared of bugs. I just don't feel like getting bitten up by a bunch of midges. The bites itch like hell."
"I dunno... ya looked pretty scared of whatever that bug was in the kitchen today." Yondu teased, but he did make a mental note that midges sounded quite unpleasant.
"That was a spider," you say, then muttering, "...and that's different."
Yondu hummed. "Seems a lil' funny that you'd put a giant one in my boy's bed then, seein' as yer so scared of 'em yerself."
You stumble over your words for a bit, before admitting that you hid the fake spider before the incident with the real one happened, adding, "-and I wasn't scared of it!"
"Sure ya weren't..." Yondu said teasingly. "Guess ya won't be bothered if I tell ya about the big one crawling on yer shoulder then." He repeated the same trick as earlier, imitating a running spider on your shoulder with his fingers and laughing when you jumped a mile and smacked at his hand.
Face flushed with embarrassment at falling for the same trick twice you say, "You're an asshole."
"Yep," came Yondu's reply. Theory confirmed: You hated showing weakness. After a few steps he spoke again. "Where we goin' anyways? Ya seem pretty sure about this path. Get the feelin' we ain't just wanderin' aimlessly."
You sigh, but relent. What could it hurt? "It's just a little further."
"It where ya go all the time?"
"No, just most of the time." you admitted. "Sometimes I do just... 'wander aimlessly.'"
"But not tonight."
You sigh again. "No. Not tonight."
After a bit you finally happen upon a small clearing. In the middle of that clearing was a large old oak tree. Its trunk was nearly two meters in diameter and had lovely patches of moss growing on it. Thick branches poked out just low enough to climb on, it was beautiful in the dim light of the night, but it was even more beautiful in daylight.
"Here," you say, "This is where I go. This is my favorite tree."
Yondu was actually stunned for a moment by the magnificence of the the tree, and that didn't happen often. "I can see why. It's certainly a purty one..."
He walked with you closer to the tree and broke off to walk to one side as if he intended to do a lap around the trunk.
"Careful," you say, not wanting him to go any further around the more shadowy part of the tree, "Ground's got a bit of a soft spot over that way. Wouldn't want you to sink in."
Yondu, who, like anyone, obviously wouldn't enjoy that happening, stopped his journey and headed back your way. Better to stay with the person who knew the land, at least when he couldn't see for himself if he was about to fall in a hole.
You approach the tree and sit at its base, gesturing an invite for Yondu to do the same if he chose. He did. You look up at the thick branches and say, "My dad used to bring us out here."
"Us?" Yondu questioned.
"My brother and me."
"Didn't know ya had a brother."
"Didn't ask."
"Would ya have said if I did? Ya don't exactly seem the most forthcoming type." Yondu laughed lightly.
You huff in response. You look back up at the branches and remember the time you and your brother would climb the old tree. sometimes even your dad would try climbing with you, even though he wasn't as agile as his children. You remembered the fun, the laughter, the three of you playing chasing games around the tree. They were some of your fondest memories of before your dad got sick. Before he couldn't take you and your brother out to the tree anymore, though of course by that time the two of you were old enough to make the trip on your own, though it never was quite the same.
You had sat in silence for a bit before Yondu asked, "So what's eatin' ya?"
"What?" you ask, pulled from your thoughts.
"I've kinda gathered ya wouldn't be comin' all the way out here in the middle of the night if everythin' was all fine and dandy, so what's got ya down, girlie?" It seemed obvious to Yondu from what he observed that this would be the case. After some thought, he realized he only caught you heading towards the forest on bad days, like when Rocket messed your kitchen or the night you fought Quill. You were here, therefore, something must be wrong.
"Nothing."
Yondu didn't buy it. "I noticed you disappeared for a long while in the middle of that movie Quill wanted to watch. It have anything to do with that?"
"I told you, I'm fine." you say bitterly. It honestly irritated you how accurate his assumptions were, but just because he was right didn't mean you had to affirm his assumptions.
Yondu sighed. "Alright then, be that way."
After a few moments Yondu breaks the silence again. "So... where are yer family? I know ya said yer daddy's passed, but what about yer mama? Or this brother ya mentioned. Where they at? Why ya out here in that big house all alone?"
You inhale. You considered not answering, but then thought it couldn't hurt much. You could talk a little since he wanted to be nosy. Not like you were going to spill your entire life story, just the sparknotes. "Well, my mom's gone. Died giving birth to me."
"Oh." Yondu was almost sorry he asked. "And yer brother?" He now assumed you were the younger sibling, but he felt it would be in bad taste to mention it. He hoped talking about him might lighten the mood.
"Gone too." you answered.
He winced. He hadn't expected to hear that you were alone alone. "How?" Yondu asked.
"I don't want to talk about it." you replied.
Yondu saw you draw your knees up and rest your chin on them. He realized he shouldn't push his luck. "Sorry to hear that."
"Why? You didn't do it," you say sarcastically. "It's life. Everyone dies eventually." You un-hug your knees and lean back against the tree. "Just how it goes. Life's a bitch and then you die alone."
Yondu catches a crack in your voice but doesn't mention it. He frowns. "Come on now. There's more than that. Ya don't got to spend the rest of it all alone and miserable." He said this because he had to believe it himself. How close had he come to doing just that when his crew mutinied? If Kraglin hadn't still been loyal and if Rocket and Twig hadn't helped with an escape plan, he'd've been slain by the hands of the Kree- if he was lucky, or back in the slave barracks- if he wasn't. He'd never have gotten the chance to save Quill, and even if he hadn't intended to make it out alive, he couldn't deny he was grateful the ship had gotten to him and Quill just in time so that he could spend more time with his boy.
He didn't know your exact age, but he thought you looked at least a little younger than Quill. That was too young to have such a bleak outlook on life. If even he could find even a shred of happiness to cling to, then surely you could as well. He continued, "Surely ya got ya some friends- Or ya could find someone and settle down... start a family.... fill that house of yers with little ankle-biters- Hey, where ya going?"
Your breath hitched and you had stood up quickly, walking back the direction you came. "I'm heading back. You can follow or stay here. I don't really care," you say, trying to keep your voice even and not looking at him as you walked towards the edge of the clearing.
Yondu hurriedly stood to catch up with you. Sure, he could eventually find his way back without you, but he couldn't deny he'd get back much quicker with a guide that knew their way back in the dark. "What'd I say?" Yondu asked, correctly assuming he had said something wrong.
"Nothing. It's just late. Time to start heading back." You still wouldn't look at him, and he almost thought your voice sounded strange, like you were fighting not to cry or something.
Yondu followed you quietly, wondering if he should press the issue or not. He decided to not, convinced he would only make it worse. He hadn't intended to dig up any bad memories, he hadn't expected to find out you really were alone, although it was a sentiment he could empathize with. It's how he had been during the mutiny and Tazerface killed all his good men. Surrounded by people, and yet utterly alone.
He didn't know what it was exactly, but he knew he wanted to make it better. You weren't a child, but still, all he could see now was a sad little girl with no mama or daddy. No brother, no family. All alone. He thought to himself that if he had a heart it might be breaking. Or at least cracked a little.
He made another attempt at conversation, hoping to smooth things over. "So Quill says ya like to shoot arrows?"
"Um... yeah. A bit."
Did he hear a sniff? Surely not.
"Maybe ya could show me how ya Terrans do it sometime."
"Yeah, sure. Whatever." You sniffed again, and Yondu thought he saw your hand come up to your eyes as if to wipe them.
Aw hell. You were crying. Damn. He wasn't sure what, but he was sure it had to have been something he said. He cursed himself. He hated when people cried. Bad enough when someone he stole from tried whipping out the waterworks, even worse when Quill would cry when he was scared or hurt as a boy. The only thing worse than seeing someone cry, was watching as they tried desperately to hide it, but yet couldn't quite stop. 'Cause that meant they weren't trying to get anything from you, they were just genuinely in too much pain to keep it together.
He had to do something to make you stop, so he did the only thing he could think of. He whistled.
A gentle melody played from his lips and you gasped as a streak of red shot through the air. You stopped in place from the shock and before long, you could see the outlined shape of what you could only describe as a fat little troll. It was cute, and so unexpected that you couldn't help but huff out a laugh.
You finally looked at Yondu and he saw the hint of a confused smile playing over your lips. Much better.
He could see the question in your eyes and went ahead and answered without you needing to speak. "Just thought you could use some cheering up." he said. Nice to see he's still got it. That trick always worked to cheer up Quill when he was little.
"I'm fi-"
Yondu cut you off with a shrug. "Yeah. Yer fine. Got it." He whistled again to call his arrow back. "Well this was mighty entertaining, all this... nature and whatnot. Should probably get a move on so this old man can get some sleep." He exaggerated a yawn before walking forward, prompting you into motion as well, seeing as you were the guide. "I'm sure Bug and Twig would like it out here if ya ever decided ya wanted to come out here when the sun's actually out."
You hummed. "Maybe." You tried not to stare as you walked together out of the forest. Had he really just used his weapon... to draw you a picture... to cheer you up? You wanted to laugh but you bit your tongue as you remembered he had also used it to kill a spider for you earlier that day. For as rough as he portrayed himself to be, he was definitely displaying big softie energy. That thought did make you laugh.
"What?" Yondu asked, hearing your snicker from beside him.
You shook your head, now grinning. "Nothing."
"Uh huh." Yondu said, mild suspicion in his voice as he side-eyed you. Whatever. It was better than hearing you try not to cry.
After awhile you finally broke the tree line and made your ways back across the yard and to the backdoor.
You reached the door first and pulled out your key.
"Good to see ya have some sense." Yondu said. "Quill said Terrans always leave their doors unlocked."
You gave him a look as you unlocked the door. You wanted to refute that, but you knew that, at least in the rural areas where you lived, people actually did tend to do that. You settled for saying, "Well, not everyone does. But still, it'd be really irresponsible to just go and leave the door open to any stray passerby with a bunch of obvious aliens inside."
Yondu scoffed.
"What?"
"Ya Terrans thinkin' yer the only ones in the universe. Callin' anyone not from Terra 'alien.'"
You frowned. "Sorry."
Yondu grunted and waved you off. "Eh. Ya'll get there eventually. S'pose if this place wasn't as backwards as it is then we wouldn't be able to lie low here."
You tried not to be offended at that, because he was right. That was literally the reason they were able to hide here.
The two of you re-enter the house and manage to get back to your respective rooms quietly. You changed into something more comfortable to sleep in without waking Mantis and settled into bed.
Before falling asleep you thought about the clearing and your tree. About how you needed to warn Yondu not to walk too far towards the backside of said tree.
You should really find the time to install a sturdier trap door on that tunnel.
13. Favourite Weapon - Ahhh I was hoping someone would ask this one!! My favourite weapon is by far Yondu’s Yaka Arrow!! I just think it’s so cool, even though I can’t whistle so wouldn’t be able to use it myself lmao! But yeah I just think it’s a super cool, original and unique concept, I’ve never seen anything even remotely like it anywhere else!!
So, I’m finally officially back from a long hiatus. I would have been back a bit sooner, but I got sick and have been planning a celebration for my late friend.
This is a bookmark WIP I’ve been working on today.
