Peter knew they were coming. He hoped he would not get such a problem like his mother had in his age. The Terran was now 22 years old and lived now for 14 years with the Ravagers.
The back of his gums hurt and in the mirror he could see two spikes came out of his lower jaw.
When he was a child, his mother and the dentist talked a lot about his teeth. And he took good care of them. Even when he was at the Eclector. He never had a real problem with his teeth. They were perfect. But once he had a problem. A little hole in the molar milk tooth. The Tooth had to be pulled out. The injection in his mouth hurt so bad and Peter got a shiver from the reminder. He cried the hole doctor’s office together, while they pulled the tooth out.
His mother had to calm him down for hours. He was so scared.
And now as an full adult he felt the same fear. But with the pain in his jaw he couldn’t eat right and Yondu eyed him on every meal.
The gums around the teeth were swollen and every movement hurt like crazy.
“What’s wrong with you boy?” Yondu asked as the boy hadn’t eaten for the 4th time.
“’m ok Yondu. Jus no hungry.” Peter answered, his voice sound like he had something in his mouth. A moment later the Captain could hear his stomach growling.
“Are you sick or something?” The blue Centaurian came closer to Peter.
He hold his hand out to feel the forehead from his boy. Temperature is still normal.
“No. Everythin is fine.” Peter said and tried to go away, but Yondu grabbed his wrist.
“I know you’re sneaking ice cubes from Cook. And I tell you something. No more Missions till you got your problem fixed. We can’t use you for Missions if you’re too weak.”
“Buth-“ The Terran tried to say.
“No buts boy. You know the rules. Go to the medic, he may can help you.” The Captain said, ruffled softly Peters short hair and left the boy alone.
In the evening Peter sat at his hiding place in the big hall where all the M-ships parked. He sat on some wooden boxes next to his beloved M-ship the Milano and sucked on some ice cubes. He tried to cool his gums down. They're still pounding and hurting his whole jaw.
He felt like someone wants to rip his lower jaw in half.
“Hey Peter?” A voice came from his right. He had not hear the footsteps. And now he saw Tullk together with Kraglin. Both had the night duty. The two older man watched him with surprise.
“You got a problem with your teeth?” The man with the white hair asked.
Peter just shook his head. “No. Everythin is fin. I jus like ice.” He lied. A weak lie.
“You know Pete, we watched you now for a couple of days and could it be that your species got another pair of useless teeth? It isn’t that unusual. Xandariens got the same problem.” Kraglin, Yondu Udondat’s First Mate softly said.
For a moment Peter said nothing. He knew the risks about not eating right.
The Terran sighed. “It hurts…” he finally said.
“I knew it!” another voice said which came from his left. He saw the long leather coat from his Captain and foster father Yondu Udonta.
“Tha’s embarrassin…” Peter said quietly and looked straight in Yondu's red eyes.
“When we picket you up, we did some readings about your species. But now we need a special Doc for you.” The Centaurian said and ruffled Peters hair softly.
Peters heartbeat spiked. He would get confronted with his inner fear.
“Captain. I know a good Doctor on Knowhere. He can help Peter with his teeth.” Tullk said and saluted the Centaurian.
Peter got up from the box.
“I don wan thad…” he said and rubbed his hurting jaw.
“Son. You can’t even speak right. They need to be pulled out. Look at you my boy, you lost weight because of them.” Yondu said with a little snarl. “We’re heading to Knowhere.”
The Terran sat down at the Warbird, Yondus M-ship, together with Kraglin and his Captain.
Tullk gave them the coordination’s from the place of the special dentist.
“Hey Pete. Why you’re so scared?” Kraglin asked and sat down next to the younger one.
“’m no scared. It’s just…. I-I don like thad.”
“It’s the same Peter.” Kraglin sighed.
They were silent for a moment.
Peter sighed heavily and looked straight in Kraglin eyes.
“Back on earth they pulled a tooth out. It hurt...” Peter explained.
The first mate raised his eyebrow.
“Oh man, Terra is so backwards. This is a special surgery, they put you to sleep and get them out with a laser cutter. After the surgery they gave you some painkillers and two days later you wouldn’t feel anything about the surgery.” Kraglin said.
“How did you know?” Peter asked.
“I had the same problem. Got the surgery before I quit my job with the Nova Corpse.”
Peter begun to rub his jaw again.
“I shoul try it.” He said.
They arrived quickly on Knowhere and walked through the city. Yondu in the front, followed by Peter and Kraglin.
The doctor’s office were in the middle of the city. Near the shops for cybernetics.
Perfect place.
In the reception hung a picture in Skrull which said “Painless surgery”. Maybe this is a good sign.
The Skrull’s are a species for themselves. They have the ability of shapeshifting and other stuff like that. But they main color is green with ears like an elf.
On the reception desk sat a beautiful woman with blonde hair and pink skin, she looked like a Xanderian woman. Very attractive. The shield on her dress said her name was Starla.
“How can I help you?” the kind woman asked.
Yondu tried to be nice smiled a bit. “Our boy here need some help with his teeth.” and looked at Peter who was still rubbing his hurting jaw.
“Wisdom teeth…” Peter said and growled a bit because of the pain.
“Which species?” Starla asked again.
“Terran.” Yondu answered. The woman just smiled.
“There aren’t so many Terrans in space. How?” The Captain knew this question would come and smiled.
“international space adoption.” He said and Starla smiled warmly at the blue Centaurian.
“more like kidnapping….” Peter mumbled and earned a cuff on the back of his head.
“Shut up or you can pay the bill by yourself.” Yondu said with an angry undertone.
The woman didn’t pay much attention to the father and son problem. She still smiled.
She got a small holopad and looked at Peter. “Peter Jason. I need to take pictures from your front and both sides.” Quickly she took the pictures and sent them to the Doc.
“Please take a seat in the waiting room. Doctor Foxtail will see on you soon. And we need some information about your boy.” The woman said and gave Yondu a holopad. “Fill this up please. ”
“You nervous Pete?” Kraglin asked as they sat down in the waiting room.
“Ar yu kiddin…? I’m sort o scarred.” He said and looked down to his feet.
“Ravagers know no fear Peter.” Yondu said and begun to answer all the question on the holopad.
For half an hour they waited for the Doc to arrive. The Doctor were a Skrulll. A tall man with an healthy green skin and a white coat.
“Peter Jason Quill?” he asked and looked at the boy who was sitting between a Xandarian and a Centaurian.
Quickly the Terran stood up.
“The surgery will last two hours. We need to remove all four of your ‘wisdom teeth’, all of them are little problem maker.” He said. “Please change your clothes in the cabin and follow me.”
Peter was now dressed in an operation dress. He gave his Ravager clothes to Kraglin and followed the Doc into the surgery room.
Starla the receptionist entered the waiting room.
“Mr. Udonta. We got a problem with the Terran.” She said with a worried smile.
“What is it?” he quieckly asked with some worry in his tone.
“The Doc need to anesthetize him, but he refuses. He wants you. Follow me.” She said and brought Yondu to Peter who lied down on the table.
“What’s wrong Pete?” he asked and stroke the soft hair from Peter to calm him down. Yondu always did this when he was younger.
“I’m scared…” Peter said and shacked like he a seizure. “Please stay…” he said and a single tear left his right eye.
“I know my boy. I will stay till you sleep and I will be here when you wake up. After the surgery there is Cook at the Eclector. She got some of this ice cream stuff you like so much.” He said and wiped the tear away.
“But you said she was spoiling me…”
“You’re already spoiled. But this time, it’s ok.” The Centaurian said with a soft voice.
They finally managed it to narcotize the boy. After the Doc made sure he wouldn’t awake, Yondu left the surgery room and sat down again in the waiting room next to Kraglin.
“Is he still a pain in the ass?” Kraglin asked.
“Oh yes he is.” Yondu answered.
Doctor Foxtail’s surgery took two hours and twelve minutes. The Captain counted every minute.
Finally the Doctor arrived in the waiting room.
“You can see him now. The operation was a success. He is in the recovery room down the hall. Must be awake in a couple of minutes.” Doctor Foxtail said.
“He looks kind of cheesy.” Kraglin said.
“But still better than before.” Yondu smirked a bit.
Peter opened his eyes and smiled a bit. “I’m still the best looking Ravager.” He said.
From all he can say, there is no more pain in his gums and jaw. They were no longer swollen.
“Thank you Dad….” The Terran said. “Thanks for helping me”
“You’re welcome, my son."
"Now i want Ice Cream." Peter quietly said and smiled.
This was before Yondu saw the bill and wanted to burn the whole building down.