Summing It All Up
It comes as no surprise that Aleta, Gamora, and Nebula become instant friends. Three bloodthirsty, knife-wielding women in one room? It also comes as no surprise that Yondu, Kraglin, and Peter flee to a different part of the ship, glad to still be alive. “I swear Nebbie takes delight in makin’ me want ta knife her.”
“Yondu,” Kraglin scolds. “You aggravate her equally. You’re like one person split into two bodies.”
“Ya take that back!”
They’re sitting in the observation deck; Peter lounges on the floor in cat form, while Kraglin sits squished with Yondu in a chair, and Stakar sits on the bench across from them. The other Ravager captain shakes his head at the antics of the mated pair in front of him. “Ya got yerself whipped by a teenager,” Stakar says, sadly.
“Weren’t intentional,” Yondu replies. “Jus’ happened. An’ the kid came along as extra baggage.”
Stakar chuckled. “Always knew ya liked ta collect shiny things. Never realized ya liked ta collect furry things, too.”
“Yondu saved our lives. My life,” Kraglin says. “He’s kept your Code all this time, no matter if he were acting as pirate or not. Peter and I were honored to go with him and act as crew.”
“Ain’t judgin’,” Stakar says. “Got my wife as a co-captain, don’t I?”
“Depends,” Yondu says. “As ta whether Gamora and Nebula give ‘er back ta you o’ not.”
“They’ll return her,” Stakar mutters, grouchily. “I don’t care if they are the assassin daughters of Thanos. Them be fightin’ words.”
“Like ta see ya say that to their faces,” Yondu says.
Stakar ignores him. “So y’all met on a backwater planet, fell in love, and ran to the Stars ta live out yer days? Sounds like some crazy story ta me. ‘Specially when you add in the adopted kid an’ the womenfolk.”
“An’ yet, here we are.”
“What’re ya plannin’ on doin’ from here? Since you’re not comin’ back to the fold.”
Yondu sighs. Stakar had pushed and pushed hard for them to rejoin the Ravager crew, but Yondu’s heart was no longer in it. “Don’ know where we’ll go from here. Maybe stay together forever. Maybe me ‘n Kraglin ‘n Peter will strike out on our own someday. Got lots o’ time.”
“And lots of adventures to find,” Kraglin adds. He kisses Yondu, comfortable in front of the other captain. “I want us to see everything out there. As much as we can. Gonna watch each other’s backs.”
“You can comm if you ever need us,” Yondu says. “But we’re going to go our own way. It’s not what I ever expected, but what I always wanted. Jus’ never knew it.”
“Ya happy?”
Yondu doesn’t hesitate. “Yeah.”
Stakar nods. “When I snatched you from the Kree, ya were the angriest thing I’d ever met. Didn’t want no one’s help, didn’ care ‘bout nothin’. ‘S nice ta see this side of ya, Yondu. Aleta an’ I never thought to see it. I always had a soft spot for ya, I hope ya know that.”
“I do. Found my own soft spots.” Yondu hugs Kraglin, strokes a hand over Peter’s head. “Gonna do everythin’ I can to protect them.”
“Tha’s all ya can do,” Stakar agrees.
With that, the dark-haired Ravager stands. “Gotta get back to my ship. Aleta too. Gonna split up the freighter’s haul among the crew an’ get back on route ta our next target. Don’ think I missed ya robbin’ that medbay. Gonna pay ya back for that sometime.”
Yondu grins. “Anytime. Pay ya with interest.”
The two Ravagers nod at each other, and Yondu and Kraglin walk Stakar back to the main airlock, where Aleta, Gamora, and Nebula are promising to keep in contact about ‘their idiot men’. Yondu refuses to touch the conversation with a thirty-foot spear. “Aleta, it was good ta see ya.”
She punches him in the chest, making him wheeze. “You fake your death again an’ I find out, I’ll have yer balls,” she threatens.
Yondu steps behind Kraglin in genuine fear. “No ma’am.”
Aleta growls, dons her facemask, and steps out the airlock. Stakar glances longingly at his wife. “Isn’t she wonderful?” he asks, then follows her out.
Gamora and Nebula snicker, then turn their attention to Yondu and Kraglin. “Where’s Peter?”
“Asleep in the observation deck.”
“I’ll go see to him,” Nebula says, and leaves them. Gamora follows her.
Yondu watches them go, finds himself with his arms full of his mate. They watch Nebula and Gamora talk, disappearing around a corner. “I love you,” Kraglin says.
“Love ya too.” Yondu pulls Kraglin flush against him. “Where ya wanna go next, sweetheart? All the stars are open to us.”
“Doesn’t matter. I’ll follow you anywhere.”
And that sentiment, Yondu knows, will be returned every day for the rest of his life.
THE END