Surprise Adoption
The first thing Yondu thought as soon as the kid had been brought aboard was “He’s only a baby”. He knew Terrans were different and compared to most had shorter lifespans, but hopefully they didn’t think something so tiny and fragile looking was old enough to be running through the dark alone. On the other hand, finding the kid alone in a field had made the pickup rather easy.
Peter Quill was currently crying his head off, pushing himself into a corner. Horuz, Tullk, and Oblo had decided to handle placing the translator on the kid as a group. Needless to say, the kid’s screaming became ear piercing. Yondu couldn’t blame the boy either. Little baby, just lost his mother, alone in the dark, big freaky men trying to grab him. With Horuz trying to hold the boy’s head still from twisting around, and Oblo’s grimy hands holding down the kid’s arms, Yondu had enough.
“Why don’t you boys move along, while I take care of this.” He ordered with no room for so much as a “but”, which was ensured with a hard glare.
He still received incredulous looks from Tullk and Oblo as the two passed by him. Tullk tossed the translator piece to Yondu just before leaving. Horuz hesitated before following the other two. He stopped when he came near Yondu.
“Ye sure, Cap’n?”
“I most certainly am, now go on and get out.”
“Aye, sir. Though might I suggest calling Kraglin should things get out of hand?”
With those parting words, Horuz left the Captain alone with the screaming Terran. Yondu stared at the child, who even without anyone near him, flailed and continued crying. It would be difficult to do this without hurting the kid, so what was the harm in calling Kraglin to help? Horuz, Tullk, and Oblo didn’t have to know nothing. Kraglin wouldn’t mention it much either. After all, he was getting a child out of it.
Yondu had a silent hope that having this kid around would make things easier. Help his mate and himself move on from the memories of the seven others they’d unknowingly delivered to their deaths. For the entire trip to Terra, Kraglin had been clutching the doll that belonged to the little Krylorian girl, Greer. Usually only in the privacy of their quarters, but it had never escaped Yondu’s notice that an arm of the doll occasionally stuck out from the inside of Kraglin’s jacket.
“Kraglin,” Yondu said into the comm, “get down ‘ere to the loading bay and help me before this kid hurts himself.
Kraglin heard Yondu’s order, but didn’t reply. He dropped what he was doing and rushed to the loading bay. When the doors came into view, they slid open to reveal Yondu standing there waiting. Kraglin nearly slid straight into him as he rushed inside and tried to stop. A child’s crying caught his attention almost immediately.
Looking down, Kraglin found himself staring at what could be small enough to be a toddler. With slight hesitation, the first mate knelt down and outstretched a hand towards the boy’s curly orange hair and gently petted it. The boy jerked at the sudden touch and froze to the spot. Allowing Kraglin to continue brushing his fingers through the curls. They were soft and felt like feathery down. If it weren’t for the boy raising his head to stare at Kraglin, the first mate would have continued petting him for who knows how long.
The sight of the boy’s big green eyes sealed the deal for Kraglin. This little baby was his and he wasn’t going to let anything harm him. Kraglin hardly noticed he’d scooped the boy into his arms until Yondu grabbed his shoulder.
“Hold ‘em steady now, we got to get this in ‘is ear.” The captain muttered as he tried sneaking the translator towards the child who seemed distracted staring at Kraglin.
The ear piercing shriek that came as soon as the translator was burrowed into the child’s head was expected but still threw both men off. It was high pitch and turned into wailing only a small child was capable of. Yondu’s hands flew to cover his ears. Kraglin couldn’t have the same pleasure without dropping the boy, so instead took to bouncing him around in hopes to calm him. It took several minutes but the kid slowly began to relax.
Exhaustion was clear in the kid's face. His eyes drooped and his head lolled until it dropped against Kraglin’s shoulder. Before the boy gave way to sleep, Yondu and Kraglin could hear him mumbling.
“Wan’ my mommy.”
Yondu shook his head as he began pondering just how difficult this could get. They wouldn’t always get lucky with the boy bawling till he wore himself out. Hopefully with him being so small and young, they could get him to trust them. They just needed time.
“Your mom ain’t here. She’s somewhere she can’t come back from. But we’re here. We gonna take care of you for her.”
The boy blinked at Yondu, eyes widening as he got a good look at the Captain for the first time. It reminded Yondu of one of the other children, who’d hardly seen another person out of his family and had started crying at the sudden shock of seeing someone so different. The memory made Yondu brace himself for more crying, hands poised to go back to his ears if screaming first was the kid’s way.
Instead there was a smile, a giggle, and the kid muttering something like “You’re blue” before his eyes finally slid shut. The boy must have been more exhausted then he first looked. His reaction to Yondu though sent a firm sense of relief through the Captain and First Mate.
Kraglin, still holding the boy, began leaving the loading bay to who knows where. Yondu assumed to their quarters. The two couldn’t be soft in front of the crew, but the captain’s cabin was another story. Yondu just hoped he wouldn’t be locked out of his own room while Kraglin cuddle the kid they just surprise adopted.