Joyride

 If peter had to guess how he ended up stood in front of thor naked then he would probably think back to the last contract they completed and what a screw up that had been.

- 

 "So all we have to do is go down into some mine and extract some random data chip from a forgotten lab?" Rocket rephrased from the more straightforward way Quill had been labelling it: "Data retrieval." Because of course he had to be pedantic "Pretty much." Peter nodded "Sounds like a trap." Nebula grunted from the hallway "Okay not everyone is trying to kill us." Quill tried to assure before Nebula spoke again "I'm wanted for murder on at least 139 planets." She informed.

 "139? How do you even-" Quill tried to ask but Gamora answered before the question was even finished "Simple. Training and skill." She flicked her collapsable sword in her hand. "Your skills are second to mine, betrayer." Drax says as he barges past with a small groot on his shoulder. "She's not a...uh why do I bother." Peter sighed just waiting for their last team member to show up.

 Thor's presence was as booming as the thunder that followed him. "Lord of Stars! It is good to see you." Thor greeted with a wide smile "We live together." Peter felt the headache beginning. "Alright Guardians, this next job is a fairly easy one. We just gotta go down some shallow mines to find a lab and pull out some date chip which has info on something our guy wants." Peter briefs the group.

 "I hope there are monsters." Drax mentions before passing a small piece of food to Groot "I am groot." The tree thanks "I am bored." He elaborates "I agree. Peter you're very boring." Rocket mumbles busy piloting the ship. "Sounds too easy. There has got to be a catch." Gamora guesses "C'mon guys let's just have one job where we don't have to fight monsters, people or each other." Peter pleads.

 "Worry not Lord of Stars, I am sure nothing will go wrong." Thor grinned broadly with a strong arm thrown over Quill's shoulders. The captain's cheeks flushed slightly but he remained composed "It's Star lord, man." 

---

 The planet's surface was cold and appeared almost lifeless with the bland colours of brown and grey everywhere. The air felt stale enough that it was barely breathable. "I think the closest thing to a plant is Groot." Rocket remarks "I am Groot." The tiny tree says over the comms. "It's not an insult if its a fact." Rocket defended himself "I never stopped to think if Groot was a plant or an animal." Peter agrees.

 "Stay focused. We'll split into two teams once we get to the mine." Gamora instructed and soon enough they had to switch on the flashlights to illuminate the dust bitten caverns. "I'll take Nebula and Rocket. Peter, you take Drax and Thor." She planned as they divided to follow a tunnel each "Splitting from the group is a cliche that is bound to kill someone." Peter joked pacing towards the strange and distant beeping light.

 "Some dust won't kill us." Drax proceeded to cough immediately after "I'm just saying." Quill decided that it was probably for the best if he used his mask. The three walk along the rusted tracks when an old minecart came flying towards them. "Watch out!" Peter called out but was abruptly yanked to the side and landing on something that wasn't dirt or stone. 

 His face was smushed against the cold metal of an armoured chest piece. Quill blinked as he looked up and that Thor was looking at him with an expression that made the 
former ravager think "Does he like me? Am I seeing things? I thought I was into girls?" before he swiftly pushed himself up with an awkward look to the side. "Thanks." He said curtly "No problem, my friend. I'm sure that I am much comfier than the rocks." Thor gave a thumbs up.

 The captain silently cursed the fact he was stuck with the two people with no verbal control. The marched on in silence that was occasionally broken by the sound of dripping. After about fifteen minutes of aimless wandering they stumbled upon a sterile looking wall that had a metal door. "Let's tell the others and in the meantime open it with this key." Quill patted his pockets before finding the key and holding it out to give it to one his allies but instead discovered that Drax had torn it open.

 At least it was quick. "Guys, We've found a way in. How's it looking on your end?" He questioned but was met with static "Guys?" He tried again. Looks like they were too far down. "It seems our friends can't hear us." Thor assessed. Captain obvious much? "Perhaps the monsters got to them." Drax mentioned making Peter groan in annoyance. "We'll deal with it but for now we are looking for some small green plastic thing that is plugged into a monitor." Peter explained once again hearing the sound like a wet mop slapping on tiles. 

 The lab is out of power and drenched in a darkness that seemed inky...almost alive. "Creepy." The ravager muttered "Quill." Thor called out "yeah?" Peter replied stepping past a puddle of something in pursuit of the origin to a small blinky green light. "I think I've found it." Thor pointed out a screen that had the dim screen with the message "Standby mode." 

 Drax is off doing his own thing judging by the occasional shattering glass. "Good spot, man. Watch my back." Peter praised and requested to which Thor nodded and focused on the entrance. Seemingly he missed the sound that can slowly been getting on his nerves. Checking the device revealed multiple files, reports and assessments on 'Symbiotes'. Peter pulled the chip out of the device but it didn't seem to appreciate that.

 An AI woman spoke as alarms began to blare "unauthorised removal of Date Disk. Self Destruct protocols engaged." It warned and suddenly the doors everywhere locked as something screeched wildly. "Peter!" Gamora called out from a window with Rocket and Nebula appearing shortly after "Oh flark!" The captain ran to thick glass "We're stuck." Rocket shouted.

 Drax busted open the door that separated him from his group. "Drax bust that open." Peter ordered and yet it withstood his attacks. "Damnit." He panicked. "Self destruction in T-minus 60 seconds." The lady warned again. "Stand aside!" Thor yelled before throwing storm breaker in a bright display of blue lighting that shattered the glass allowing the others jump over and try to sprint to the main exit.

 Quill went to join the others but as Drax bumped his shoulder in a display of camaraderie, it caused him to drop the date drive. Dropping to his knees he scrambled to grab it and as he spotted and pocketed it something jumped out and onto him. It sent a icy wave of cold through his body but he didn't have time to dwell on it. "T-Minus 30 seconds." The lady warned and to say Peter had never sprinted faster in his life was an understatement. 

 He followed the damaged doors and slipped through one that tried closing again. Up ahead he heard his friends talking "Where is the Lord of Stars?" Thor asked looking back "I'm...here!" The captain panted refusing to slow down and be caught in a cave in. The team sprinted to the sunlight and all but collapsed like the rocks behind them as they returned to what might as well now be the freshest air possible.

 "What happened to fairly easy? We nearly blew up!" Nebula screamed going to attack Quill but being held back by Gamora "Well I didn't know it was going to blow up!" He yelled back "Our captain could now have known that there were explosives." Thor defended his friend "But it was his Job to know." Drax accused "You know what? I'm getting on my ship and leaving you all here. Except Thor, he can still come with because for all you complaining I still got the stupid thing." Quill held the chip in his hand before feeling a shiver go down his spine.

 "Just me or is it like really cold? Get on board before I actually leave you all behind." He instructed stepping onto his ship and being greeted by Mantis "Not today." Peter said walking straight to his quarters and dumping himself on the bed. Quickly succumbing to sleep faster than he could realise.

---

 Peter blinked away with the sense that something wasn't right. For starters he felt too well. For someone who ran through pitch black lads and collapsing caves, his lungs didn't feel like fire and his legs didn't feel like mush. Then it clicked for someone who fell onto their bed fully dressed in everything he boarded in including his leather Jacket and boots, he was eerily naked. "The hell?" Peter questioned.

 "We would not have been able to sleep if we wore our gear." A voice explained. "What the flark!?" It was deep and right in his ears yet there was nobody around. It was probably just Rocket pranking him on the comms "Very funny, Rocket." Peter said trying to find another outfit to wear "I don't see how this is funny." The voice sounded confused. But Quill just ignored it.

 He expected to see his own face but the mirror revealed an image of a seven foot monster. "We are not a monster." the voice sounded offended but Peter was speechless wondering why his reflection was a behemoth of power that was nearly all black apart from the white eyes and veins. "Nope." Peter shook his head and the visage moved in sync "This is all just a dream and I'm going to wake up any second now." Quill laughed nervously "Yes your dreams are very weird but this is not one of them."

 Quill kept pacing back and forth until there was an abrupt and loud on the door. "Captain, I'm here to check up on you." It was Thor which caused his pulse to spike at the idea of Thor seeing him in his birthday suit. "Your heartbeat increased. Is there a threat?" The voice asked as an inky black head emerged from his back. "What the hell?" Peter exclaimed at the sight of some alien head just popping out of his body.

 "Is everything alright in there?" Thor asked "yeah." Peter answered faking his calmness very poorly. "We should open the door." The monster suggested and suddenly Peter's body stiffened in a robotic manner as his veins became prominent with black seeping through his skin. "What are you doing?" Peter gritted out "You like him. You want to talk to him." The creature reasoned and while not wrong he could at least wear boxers as a minimum.

 The parasite controlled his hand to open to palm controlled door that hissed open. 

 "Ah." Thor nods "I did not expect to see you like this, my friend." Thor looked back at Quill's as he used his uncontrolled hand to cover himself with mortified expression "I am glad to you are feeling well after the mission. The others wanted me to say that we will be arriving at the collector shortly." Peter is only to manage a nod as he forces his mind not to think about the fact that Thor is wearing a tank top that leaves little of his muscled toned body to the imagination. 

 "Speak to him or should we?" The creature instructed "Thanks, Thor." Peter smiles awkwardly and slams the door shut as his team mate walks away. "This is real." Peter hyperventilated "This is definitely real." He grabbed the nearest clothes and threw them on, uncaring of whatever state they were in. "I think he likes you too." Peter could feel the creature's joy is some perverted connection. 

 "Okay. everything is going to be okay." The captain assured himself "Your cortisol levels are high. I could lower them for us." The monster offered and honestly if something was stuck inside his body and trying to mess with his hormones he might as well know its name "No, before you go about probably eating my organs do you at least have a name or a species or something." Peter wonders.

 "We are a Klyntar and you are out host. Our bond is stable so I wouldn't have to eat any of your organs." The Klyntar explained "Well thanks for that but you're gonna need a better name than that." Peter now sat back on his bed and watched with unease as the Kyltar's head emerged again. 

 "We are Venom." It spoke with a confidence that bled into Peter's demeanour as he sat up straight 

 "I've heard worse." Quill nodded seemingly having rapidly accepted the unconventional situation for the moment "We want to meet your friends." Venom suggested but Quill had to set some rules if this 'Venom' was going to be riding passenger in his body. "Before we do anything, we gotta set some ground rules if you're taking my body for a joyride." Peter stared as the slithering head.

 "First, You don't control my limbs ever." Peter glared at Venom to emphasise his point "Understood." Venom nodded "Second, You do not mess with any of my hormones or insidy bits and pieces." Quill didn't like the idea of the klyntar messing with his hormones in the middle of a fight. "Lastly, you need to tell what you eat because those guys are very protective of their food." Quill wanted to know to avoid unneeded conflict.

 "phenethylamine." Venom answered "Yeah I have no idea what that is." Peter grabbed his jacket and stepped out to meet with his team after seeing on a monitor they were only a few moments away. "It's in brains." Venom's shit eating grin was audible "Of course it is." Peter shook his head but made his way to the cockpit. "Hey Quill, where did you put that data chip?" Rocket asked not even looking back. "Oh I've got it right...Damn I left it my room." Peter realised.

 He went to go and get it again but instead froze as he felt a tendril of black goo launch out of his back "We will get it." Venom volunteered and after a few moments it was in his hand. "I thought you said you were going to get it." Rocket accused glancing back "Turns out it was right here." The captain handed it over "Peter! You have a monster coming out of you!" Drax yelled before drawing his knife.

 "Danger!" Venom screamed into Quill's head as he turned around to watch his friend charging at him "No! wait!" Peter yelled back. When he saw Drax running towards him the last thing he expected was for his entire body to be enveloped in thick black tar-like substance and to grow to about seven foot. In his place stood the monster from the mirror and it roared viciously.

 "I'll get you free from it!" Drax promised but was launched into the wall by a pair of claws that extended from Venom's arms "Can we eat his brain?" Venom asked out loud "No, we can not eat his brain!" Peter answered as the team rushed to where the conflict was. "What's going on?!" Nebula asked taking one look at the new monster and the dazed Drax who pulls himself back "Ha! That won't stop me." Drax runs at Venom again.

 "Drax, Stop!" Gamora ordered but it fell on deaf ears as the warrior tried to once again run at the transformed Peter "But he is threat. Not a very scary one but still a threat."" The symbiote pleaded "He is not a threat. He is my friend and we are not eating my friends' brains." Peter tried to seize control of this new body because if it could it to him then he could probably do the same to it.

 "I hope you're not having fun without...me..." Thor looks up to see Drax being held in the air by a series of tentacles as Rocket is in the cockpit holding a baby Groot. Nebula and Gamora stand in awe of the large monster that stood in the middle of the room. "I guess that makes two unexpected sights." He comments and once Venom registered that he was there it retreated.

 Somehow the previously mountainous creature had reduced to a swirling mass of symbiote somewhere amongst his insides. At least this time Peter could be mortified and still have his clothes. "Hey guys." He waves awkwardly at the others. "Peter, get over here." Gamora signalled him over and he followed her trying to ignore the way black tendrils tried to reach out towards the thunder god. 

-

 She seemed more confused than angry which helped to calm Quill's constant anxiety. "You're going to explain to me what happened back there and why." She demanded "Well I think some sort of alien parasite has latched onto me." He tried to explain "I AM NOT A PARASITE!" Venom screamed excessively causing Peter to wince in pain "Ok! Ok! You're not a parasite." He apologized and that seemed to satisfy the Klyntar. 

 "Who are you talking to?" Gamora asked "Venom. He's the alien I was telling you about. I hope he can show himself in a less scary form." The captain looked over his shoulder and sure enough the small head was there "Hello." It greeted simply. She didn't seem too phased and that makes sense from what he had seen of her. "So this 'Venom' Just shows up conveniently after we go into an abandoned research lab. Seems logical. Only someone as dumb as you can have this happen." She shakes her head.

 "I didn't mean to cause this."
 "He didn't mean to cause this." 

 "It's a symbiotic organism. You're a host and without you then it will die." Gamora remembered seeing some in the collector's array of items and if he had sent them to collect the data chip knowing that a symbiote was there then..."It was a trap." She realised "I see that now." Peter agrees "Yes. it was very obviously a trap." Venom looks between the two.

 "Get your butts up here. We'll be arriving in a minute." Rocket announced and at the idea of being near the collector, Venom felt a wave of fear that he projected onto Quill causing him to unconsciously step back towards the wall.

 What is the worst that could happen?

-End of Chapter 1-