It Had To Be You

Drax remembered watching them file into the Kyln. He remembered feeling only hatred and anger when his pale gaze fell upon the green skinned Zen-Whoberis. He wanted to watch her blood spill before falling to the dirt and grime of the showers. He wanted her to have no funeral and no gathering of friends and family to honor her spirit as it descended to the deepest pits of anonymity and obscurity. For in life she may have been well known, but in death she would be nameless. That was the punishment he wished for her.

He had suspected she was his soulmate even then, but he had ignored it in favor of the pain that the demise of his wife and daughter had left behind. It felt like an act of betrayal to acknowledge Gamora as his intended lifemate when he had become a Destroyer for his first and second greatest loves. His daughter and wife deserved so much more than to be predecessors to a woman who worked with the man that killed them.

So, he called Gamora a whore and any other name that degraded her, even as it pricked at his own heart and soul. He kept her at a distance and was thrilled to see that she did the same. Until Nebula attacked Gamora with her words back on Ronan’s ship. That was the first time he felt an urge to protect the Zen-Whoberis. He stifled the feelings again after that, even claimed he attacked at out of respect for their newfound camaraderie, especially as she seemed much more interested in Peter Quill. For a time, he accepted it.

It was during their fight with Ego that Drax realized that Gamora was hiding her fears, concerns, and anger about being bonded to Drax, behind her supposed feelings for Peter. Realizing that they were both doing themselves damage and possibly others by behaving this way, Drax knew it was up to him to change things between them. The assassin was so stubborn that she’d likely wallow in misery for the rest of her days and die in heartache before she’d admit to wanting him around.

For Drax, feeling flickers of her emotions and his own had made it impossible to be just as stubborn. He didn’t like feeling pain and he especially didn’t like pain that wasn’t related to his feelings for his lost family. Gamora hated those feelings. There was some amount of guilt associated with her hatred of his constant thoughts about them, but more than that was the jealousy.

He knew Gamora would resist and focus only on his family just as he was aware that she would hurt him at every turn when he pursued her; but it was worth it. Being so close to his bonded only to be cut off from her, was pure torture and he refused to endure it, especially knowing she was being harmed by it as well. It was pointless for them to deny it anyhow.

And that was why he was making his way toward Peter’s room. He had to do this for Gamora, for Groot, for Rocket and especially for Peter. He tightened his grip on the blades in each hand, ready for a fight. Ronan would not make this easy, but this wasn’t for the genocidal Kree. He just had to remember that.

He entered the room and felt a strange sizzle and pop move from the corner to Peter’s body. Before the Terran was on his feet, Drax noted the distress on Peter’s face. Still, he was resolved in that moment to do whatever it took.

Peter jolted forward, looking homicidal and not at all like he normally did. Drax ducked low, spinning with his left leg out to sweep the Terran’s own legs out from under him. It worked and Peter’s eyes widened in shock as he hit the ground hard, but he flipped himself forward and back on his feet. Drax couldn’t help but feel some bit of pride, after all, the last time he and Ronan battled he was drunk and admittedly no match for the Accuser. That was not the case in this moment.

“You dare come after my bonded?” Peter growled with a determined sneer on his normally dull and dimwitted face.

“I wish him no harm, but I will do what is necessary.” Drax responded as they faced off. Peter’s guns were not on him and while Ronan might normally not worry about facing an opponent unarmed, Terran’s weren’t nearly as durable as Kree. “Stand down, Accuser!”

“Never!” Ronan snarled behind the mask of Peter’s face.

Drax side-stepped as Peter moved forward, careful not to strike the Human with his either of his twin blades. He just had to tire Ronan out. Peter had made it clear that Ronan could not fuel the body with his Kree like strength and speed while maintaining control of said body. He found himself ducking and dodging, moving as fast as he could, but that wasn’t easy. Not when he was also actively avoiding the corner that Peter’s guns were in.

Drax cursed to himself as he saw Peter grab an electric rod from a shelf. It was something they’d picked up weeks after the battle with Ronan. Peter hadn’t liked the weapon though, so he hadn’t bothered to train with it. Unfortunately, that had no effect on the Accuser’s own knowledge as he swung out, landing a hit on Drax’s shoulder.

He dropped the blade in his left hand and gritted his teeth to keep from the dropping the right blade. He charged forward biting back the continuing shocks of pain that radiated in his left arm, his right blade smashing into the rod.

The Kree was forced to step back and Drax felt a glimmer of hope flare up. Ronan was weakening inside of the frail Terran body! He pushed forward again striking the rod a second time and both sets of eyes, pale blue and hazel green, fell upon the small fracture on the black rod’s surface. Drax took advantage and headbutted the Terran who immediately fell backward, landing on his ass.

The confusion in those green eyes told Drax that Ronan was still in control. He appeared shocked and angry as he sat on the ground, holding his head. “You are either much stronger and far more skilled when sober, or Peter’s body is as frail and weak as your comprehension level.”

Drax stayed back, knowing that Ronan was still a dangerous foe. Even if he was weak, even if he was dizzy and in pain from the headbutt. He might want to kill Ronan, but he certainly had no intention of harming Peter to do it.

“Why do you not finish us?” Ronan demanded.

“Finish you?” Drax tilted his head just slightly to the side.

“Yes, you fool. Finish us. Kill us!” Ronan taunted angrily.

“I have no intention of killing you or Peter.”  Drax snapped. “It is you who wish to kill me!”

“Bull shit!” Peter cursed and it was clearly Peter now as the Terran got to his feet a little shakily. “I heard you! You came in here with knives and I fucking heard you! You and Gamora are trying to kill me!”

Drax didn’t understand why he felt as if he had been punched in the gut, but he did. He stared at the man he had called his friend since the day they set out to rescue Xandar.  Ronan accusing him of such treachery he understood, but Peter? “I came in here with knives to defend myself from your bonded. I knew he would attack me.”

Peter’s face twitched and ticked and Drax wondered if two very different expressions were warring for dominance. At first he’d appeared confused and surprised but there was also disbelief and anger. It was almost comical.

“Because you came in to kill Peter.” Ronan insisted.

“Why would we kill Peter Quill? He is our friend, our family, and our leader.” Drax frowned wondering how it was possible that everyone considered him the dumb one.

“I heard you, we both did! You said you were gonna take care of it when I woke and Gamora said she didn’t like it and Rocket was completely against it.” Peter frowned. 

It disturbed Drax that he was able to tell which was which even while they shared the same body. He decided not to think about that as he focused on what Peter had just said. “Yes, Rocket fears that by helping you recover the missing pieces of Ronan’s body, that we will be endangering ourselves. Gamora is worried Ronan will betray us all and kill you and the rest of us.”

The Terran body didn’t move, but once again the face twitched, particularly around the eyebrows. Neither spoke and neither moved, making Drax wonder what was going on. He almost asked, but was too distracted with how Peter could ever believe that his friends would turn on him. It must have been Ronan’s paranoia. It might have angered him, but he’d felt Gamora’s paranoia in the past and knew just how convincing and overwhelming it could be.

“Wait, you’re going to help me find Ronan’s body? On Xandar?” Peter asked and the familiar light in those green eyes was finally back where it belonged. The Terran began to smile. “You guys aren’t trying to kill me?”

“Rocket suggested it but he was overruled immediately.” Drax shook his head. “Killing you might spare us the torment of being in close proximity to Ronan, but losing you as our leader would not be something our family could recover from.”

The Terran blushed and smiled a little. “I feel like such a dick!” He added sheepishly. “I was so sure that I heard you guys plotting to kill me and Rocket was defe-” Peter paused and shook his head before rubbing his face with both hands in exasperation. “Oh, I should have known.” He groaned. “The fact that Rocket was the one against ‘it’.”

“The Kree are not normally so paranoid. Ronan must have been a very deceptive and manipulative Accuser to fear and distrust people so easily.” Drax thought aloud.

Peter’s expression darkened, but Drax merely raised his chin a little higher, making it clear he would not take it back. He didn’t fear Ronan and he refused to allow the ghostly Kree to intimidate him.

“When we land on Xandar, you, Ronan and I will hunt down whatever is left of the Accuser’s body. Gamora, Rocket and Groot will remain on the Milano.” Drax continued.

“But Drax, how are you…why are you?”

“It is not within your power or control who you are bonded to. Hurting Ronan would hurt you. I have no choice but to accept his presence if I wish to remain in your life.”

“How noble.” Ronan sneered angrily through Peter’s body. “You will not be surprised if I don’t take you at your word for it.”

“Make no mistake, Ronan. Should you attempt to harm anyone on this ship again, should you betray us or invite any kind of danger to our wellbeing I will crush anything left of you so that you are forced to live this half-life, tied to Peter until he dies many, many years in the future.”

Ronan scoffed, Peter’s green eyes unnaturally angry. “And when I have my body again? What will you do to ensure your safety then?”

Taking a deep breath the Destroyer frowned. “We will do what we have to, but I believe that if you are even half the Kree you claim to be, you will do right by your soulmate and act honorably. Regardless of the role he plays in your life.”

Drax was pleased at the angry pout that formed on Peter’s face. Ronan didn’t argue further but he didn’t agree to the terms either. Gamora would not have trusted it and Rocket would have tried to push things further, but Drax was pleased. Forcing Ronan to agree to something he wasn’t ready to accept would mean nothing. It was for the best that the Kree was considering his path. Should Ronan choose to be honorable, it would be his own decision and not one he felt forced into.

Ronan sneered through Peter and then his lavender eyes cut to the floor. “Your willingness to take such risks only serves to remind me of how foolish and dimwitted you are. However,” He paused and Drax did his best not to get angry. Hitting him, after all, would hurt Peter, too. “your loyalty and comprehension of the situation is as sobering as it is unexpected. You have my word that should I decide to make enemies of Peter or you, I’ll give you a two-day head start.”

“Very well. We are making our way toward Xandar now.” With that, Drax left Peter’s room, careful not to turn his back on the Kree possessed Terran.

It had been hours and Peter still hadn’t heard or even felt Ronan anywhere near. He forced himself not to panic or even feel concerned. He should feel relieved. So he decided that relief was all he would allow himself to feel. Especially as he walked to the galley and tried not to be angry when he saw Rocket eating a sandwich.

Little traitor.

“Hey Quill, how’d you sleep?”

“I didn’t, I got distracted by what I thought were my friends plotting to kill me. Drax corrected me though. Made it clear that it was only one of my friends voting to kill me.” Peter glared as he opened a cupboard and grabbed his coffee mug. “You know, you’re a real bastard, Rocket.”

“Hey, hey, that ain’t true at all! I said it’d be better to kill you than help Ronan get his body back!” Rocket snarled, clearly insulted. “My choice was to trap him back in the stone, but Gamora and Drax thought it was too risky.”

Peter had to admit that made him feel a little better. For a moment, though, he wanted to be angry that they would discuss something like that without him around. Wait, no, that’s how Ronan would feel. Peter shook it off as he made coffee. He understood perfectly why his friends talked about what to do without him.

Ronan was a distraction and hearing what was planned…well look at what it had already caused. They tried talking about it all together and they hadn’t accomplished anything. He couldn’t be angry because they brought it up when there was no danger of Ronan overhearing, or at least, minimal danger.

God, he used to trust his friends. Sort of. What the Hell was with this stupid mind meld thing? He shouldn’t have been doubting them just because Ronan was paranoid. He should have been doubting the Kree! He was the one who had tried to kill him and everyone on an entire fucking planet!

“You think you guys are gonna be ok on Xandar? If the Nova Corps finds out what you’re up to…” Rocket frowned.

“I’m fairly certain after escaping twenty something prisons that you are more than capable of breaking into one and then getting out again.” Peter smiled.

“Twenty-four.” Rocket grinned as he crossed his arms and nodded. “Suppose that’s true.” The raccoon was silent by the time Peter’s coffee was brewed and poured into his mug. It didn’t last. Neither he nor Rocket were particularly good at keeping their mouths shut. “Hey, uh Peter?”

“Yeah?” Peter asked as he leaned his backside against the counters and sipped from his coffee.

“There’s a lot for those Xandarians to lose, letting Ronan come back.” The former bounty hunter began. “They get even the smallest hint as to what you guys are up to and they’ll come after you.”

Peter blinked, a little surprised at the concern he was hearing in his co-pilot’s voice. That type of emotion was usually reserved for Groot. “Yeah, but we won’t let anyone know what we’re up to.”

“We won’t be heroes no more. Not to them. Not when Ronan has a body. We’ll be more than criminals on the loose, too. We’ll be enemies, Peter. Just…Just keep that in mind when you’re out there trying to put your boyfriend back together.” Rocket warned before he quickly scurried out of the galley.

Drinking his coffee, Peter couldn’t help but frown. What would happen if the Nova Corps came after them? Being hunted by Thanos, The Kree Purists, the Nova Corps? Would anywhere be safe for them? He damned sure wasn’t living the rest of his life hanging around Knowhere.

He sighed and poured himself some cereal before taking a seat at the table. He wasn’t sure what the Hell he was supposed to do. Rocket was right. This wasn’t just going to affect Drax, though he was amazed at his friend’s willingness to do this for him. It proved just how loyal the…the uh… oh Hell, what was he again? It proved just how loyal Drax was.

“Drax told me what happened.” Gamora announced as she walked in, her voice calm but with a deadly edge that warned how angry she was beneath the surface. She took a seat at the table and looked him dead in the eyes. “Have you truly no faith in us, Peter?”

Oh fuck. She wasn’t mad. She was hurt. Peter felt his own chest tighten. He hadn’t meant to hurt them, and honestly, he was the one who had theoretically been betrayed here, so…

“I understand being worried about what’s going to happen and maybe even questioning what this could do to our friendships, but to believe we would ever harm you? On purpose?” Gamora sighed and looked up at the ceiling. “I just can’t believe you’d think so little of our friendship, of our family.”

“Gamora, I’m sorry, okay?” Peter frowned as he set his spoon into the cereal. “I don’t know how to describe it so that it makes sense, but his thoughts…They mess me up sometimes. It’s creepy and it’s weird and I don’t like it at all. I shouldn’t be able to feel him.”

“To an extent we all feel our bonded, but what you described…I think that has more to do with your celestial abilities than it does your bond. Or maybe it’s because Ronan is Kree. Possibly even a combination of both. The point is, I know it’s hard, but you have got to remember that we’re not the enemy.”

“I know that, Gamora.” Peter snapped with a wave of his hands. He then pointed at nothing. “It’s Ronan that doesn’t know that.”

“Then you have to convince him that he’s wrong about us. You have to fight for us, Peter. You can’t just let him bully you into distrusting or possibly disliking us. Fight for us, Peter, because it’s too easy to get caught up in a soulmate amongst those with even the weakest of bonds.” Gamora warned.

Peter frowned as he glared at his cereal. It was probably going to get soggy. “You can’t really think I’d let Ronan turn me against you guys?”

“I didn’t think you’d ever distrust us so severely, Peter. I don’t really know what to think, now.” Gamora countered as she stood. “I know this is new, which is why I am going to forgive your error in judgement regarding us, but Peter? If you ever distrust us like that ever again, I swear I’ll  have Rocket rig it so that your Zune can only play “The Macarena”.”

His green eyes widened in horror at the threat. “Hey! That’s, that’s not cool!” He got up out of his chair to follow after her since she was headed back toward the cockpit.

“Then I’d suggest you start having a little faith in your family.” Gamora snickered as she walked through the ship. As soon as they made it to the cockpit she rounded on him unexpectedly, their faces only inches apart. “Peter?”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t let him kill Drax.” She said softly. “Please.”

He smiled as he saw a light blush burning her green cheeks. “I give you my word, Gamora. Drax will not come to any harm if I have anything to say about it.”

“You know,” Gamora smiled. “Ronan really is doing wonders for your vocabulary.”

Affronted, Peter snorted and then grinned. “Fuck you, Gamora.”