Golden Flowers
"I think it looks nice." The eight-year-old grinned and giggled as he placed the golden flower crown he made on the old Captain's head. He fixed it over his blue skin and gave Yondu a thumb up. "I made it myself and everything!" Peter said proudly.
Yondu sat quietly in the grass, letting the boy fuss without too much argument. It was a break the crew had needed, and Peter had gotten antsy... so they were here, letting the kid run off some steam. A brow lifted as he glanced up at the Terran child, "Yah proud of it?" He found amusement in the fact that the kid could do anything besides make messes and wreak havoc.
The planet they had landed on was full of meadows, strange beautiful flowers swayed with the Earth like breeze, the purple sky above glittering with distant stars. It was nice here. It wasn't scary like all the other places Yondu took him. "Yeah!" Peter replied before plopping down next to the Ravager pirate and starting on a new one. "I'm gonna make one for Kraglin too. Think he'll like it?"
A small snort left Yondu. Krag would probably be more than happy to accept the handmade gift if only to appease the boy. He was always a little softer on the kid than any of the others. Of course, he also tended to follow anything that Yondu told him to do. Within reason. Though the Ravager Captain wouldn't put it past him to go beyond reason. "He'll wear it," He nodded his head resolutely, glancing up at the flower wreath atop his head.
"Awesome!" That made the child even more happy. His tiny fingers fiddled with the gold stems, twisting them almost expertly as he wiggled around in the grass to get comfortable. They were silent for a moment before finally the boy spoke up, his voice barley above the breeze as he did. His blue gaze focused on the crown in his hands. "...My mom taught me how to make these." Peter murmured quietly. "Only thing I have of hers besides the walkman she gave me."
The words made a small frown form across the blue man's features. It seemed a little harsh, that the boy had nothing beyond that. Yondu of course knew loss well enough, but that didn't mean he could fully grasp what it must have been like for the kid. " Always nice to have somethin' to remember her by..." He fingered the circlet of golden buds around his head.
"Yeah, plus I get to make you things." Peter giggled and looked up to the elder male. "Well things you can hide later from the crew. I know you gotta be tough with them cause they're big meanie pirates." He shrugged and continued his work, almost done. "You're always nicer to me when we're alone like this. I kinda figured that much." For a kid he was very observant. Quill was smart.
Yondu smirked. A crooked expression that tugged one side of his mouth up. The kid was keen. A good head on his shoulders he had no doubt.
"Crew has to remember their place," The blue skinned male stated. It was altogether too easy for someone to get their head up their ass and think they could challenge his authority. Being a dick meant that everyone knew he wouldn't put up with bullshit. "You're not like the rest of em. Not yet boy. You've gotta lot to learn before you're a Ravager." It wasn't exactly true. Yondu knew well enough that most of the men he kept had been doing this since Peters age. Yet he was trying to keep the kid out of the thick of it for now. No reason to let him turn out like the rest.
Peter blinked up at the older man with big curious blue eyes. Another gentle breeze rolled pass them and dusty colored locks gently swayed across oceans of blue.
"You're gonna teach me to be cool like you? Can I get a cool jacket too! I want a flying ship too so I can fire rockets at other guys!" Peter giggled and finished Krags flower crown, holding it up for Yondu to see if he liked it. "Look! I made his just a little smaller too so it can fit his head! What do you think?" The boy asked curiously.
" Easy now," Yondu chuckled at the sudden rush of excitement from the young Terran. " I'll teach yah what you gotta know to survive kid. Promise. Cool jacket. Flyin ship. The lot. But one step atta time huh?" When the boy held up the crown, Yondu glanced down at it, a smirk curling the corner of his mouth. " Looks good kid. I think it'll fit 'im just fine."
"Can I get the ship and the jacket first and theeen all the hard stuff?" Peter gave his best puppy pout. It worked on Kraglin it haaad to work on Yondu too right? The kid giggled and plopped Krag's flower crown on his head for the meantime before they had to go back to the ship. This was nice. The boy leant his head against the blue man's shoulder, snuggling against him some. "I'm gonna be just like you one day. I can't wait!"
"Maybe we'll get you a jacket first. Then we'll start teachin you to fly," The Captain mused and ruffled the boys hair slightly under one rough palm. So, he had a soft spot. Couldn't be helped. With the kid leaned against him, Yondu watched him, frowning slightly at those last words. He was scum. He had allegiance to the highest bidder. He broke even the simplest rules for money. KIDS. He'd kidnapped children because the pay was good. Against the Ravager code. The only family he had left and he'd disobeyed their simplest rule. "Nah boy," he mused, "You don' wanna be like me. Gotta be better than me."
The boy, utterly oblivious to what could have happened to himself if Yondu had finished the job he was given, looked up with those big innocent eyes of his. His flower crown slanted over one of his eyes as he did so, causing him to giggle as he lifted it up some. "What do you mean? You're the coolest guy in the whole galaxy! You got a magic arrow and you're a pirate! How can I not wanna be like you silly?" Peter picked at a nearby flower with a soft little hum on his lips. The poor boy had no idea he could've been a dead kid a few months ago.
Yondu glanced down at him and then after a moment he reached over and pushed the crown down over his eyes. " You think that now. Might change later," He didn't want Peter to turn out like him. He wanted him to be better. If he was gonna raise this boy on his ship instead of giving him over to that prick Ego... he had to be better.
The boy squealed and giggled as his crown was playfully pulled back down on his face. "Yondu!" The boy squeaked, batting the elder man on the shoulder lightly. With a chuckle, he pushed it back up and squeed like a schoolboy at something hopping in the tall grass. It kinda reminded him of Earth's bunnies except it had four eyes and a long tail instead of a small fluffy one. "Look! I'm gonna go catch it!" Good thing the boys attention span was all over the place. With a happy laugh he followed after the bouncing critter.
Yondu fought the fond grin as he tilted his head a little bit, lightly guarding against the slaps at his shoulders. Then the boy was gone. How could someone how so much energy. He propped his chin in his palm, elbow on his knee and he watched Peter chase the creature frantically bounding away from him. "Catch 'im boy!" He goaded him on.
"I'm tryin' I'm tryin!" Came the distant giggles and laughter as he ran about in the meadow. With a battle cry the boy pounced and suddenly threw himself in the long grass. His entire figure went missing. There was a beat of silence before finally the boy popped out of the golden grass, holding the bunny like alien to his chest with a big wide grin. "I did it Yondu!" Peter yelled.
Yondu leaned forward, watching the boy where he had disappeared in the grass. Brows lifting slightly, he hesitated, then he watched him bounce up from the grass. Yondu slapped his knee and cheered, " Atta boy!" He laughed as he looked at the boy and the grin on his face.
The boy laughed and giggled, jogging happily back towards Yondu with the bunny tucked to his chest, it's tiny feet hanging with it's tail as the boy ran over to his Captain. What the child didn't know though was that the bunny creature in his hand...had a mom. There was a sudden low snarl behind the boy and Peter, confused stopped his jogging, halfway between the tall grass he just came out of and where Yondu still sat in the meadow. "What the...?" Fore yellow slits stared back at the boy hold it's baby. And she wasn't happy.
Yondu could solve the problem quickly if need be. However, this was a situation Peter could also resolve. "Careful boy," he stated quietly, "she's not happy. " He brushed the coat back away from the loop that held the arrow at his hip. " You can puzzle your way out of it..."
Peter stared like a doe in the headlights as the larger bunny like creature with two saber like fangs pawed out of the grass. The boy stood frozen, his eyes wide with uncertainty. Great. Here he thought this place was friendly! He heard Yondu though and gulped, giving a small nod and slowly, carefully putting the tiny bundle in his arms down, trying not to make any uneeded movements. The bunny like animal was quick to bounce back to its mothers side who booped its nose as it did. Quill gulped when it's four lit gaze met his again. He put his hands up in a surrender motion and backed away. "Don't eat me, don't eat me..." The boy whispered under his breath.
Yondu watched them quietly. "Easy," He stated calmly. Just because he was a hardened ravager, didn't mean he didn't know his way around other things. Animals from any planet could tell when someone meant to harm them. " She's not gonna eat yah boy," He hummed, " She just wants her kid back. " Confrontation was a last-ditch effort from most species.
And he was right. The beast huffed, it's snout flaring in warning before it turned back into the long grass, huffing for her cub to follow. The smaller bunny thing bounced after it's mother and thankfully the two left in peace. Peter waited till the two creatures were gone before sighing in relief and quickly running back to the blue skinned man. He wasted no time half hug tackling himself against the other, hugging Yondu tightly around the neck. "Th-That was so scary..."
Yondu relaxed, letting his jacket fall back to cover the arrow he'd have used in a heartbeat to protect the kid. He caught Peter as the boy flung himself towards him. "'S a lot of scary things you're gonna see in this life. Just gotta keep yer head about yah and not panic. You did good." The Captain comforted his charge lightly, hand brushing against his back. "You're alright."
"...Thanks Yondu." Peter sniffled some and hid his face against the elder mans neck. He had been so scared that thing was gonna eat him but thanks to Yondu's words of calming advice everything went okay! He sighed again and relaxed, his arms still tight around the others neck. "Y-You saved me." Quill murmured sheepishly.
"Nah," he chuckled, relenting to wrap both arms around him. " You did just fine," he told him lightly, eyes trailing across the expanse of skyline before him. It wouldn't be long they'd have to get back to the ship. Yondu knew that it was going to be a little while before they came back to any planet even vaguely like this one, but hell they'd enjoyed it right?
"Heh, only cause I had you." Peter pulled away some with a sheepish smile before something clicked. He squeaked and fell over his head. Kraglin's flower crown was gone!
"Oh no! I-I must've dropped it while trying to get the bunny...aw man...I was really looking forward to giving it to him..."
Yondo stood, and he took Peter's hand. Without too much thought he wandered back towards where the boy had been running. It was easy enough to see the path where the grass was packed down. "Let's find it before we head back. " His eyes flicked along the grass slowly, seeking out the object in question. Fact was, if it made Peter happy then so be it.
"Really? Thanks Yondu!" Peter grinned and nodded, clutching to elder man's hand tightly and staying close to his side as they wandered the golden field together. It wasn't long till the boy gave out a tiny gasp when he spotted it. "There it is Yondu!" he pointed to the ground in front of them, tugging on the elder mans jacket sleeve.
Yondu wandered with Peter, following the path of his little escapade. He wasn't too sure how easy it would be to find but when Peter tugged at him and exclaimed about finding it. He bent and lifted the crown in his hand. "Here yah go kid. Let's go give it to him." With his hand still gripped in Peters they turned and started right back towards the ship where it appeared the crew had finished loading their supplies.
Peter giggled and nodded, hugging Yondu's arm in appreciation. "Thank you, I had a lot of fun today." He grinned and gave a shy nod, clutching Kraglin's flower crown tightly so he woudn't lose it this time. Today had been so much fun! Well besides almost getting attacked by an angry mama bunny with big fangs. "Can we do this every now and again? I-I like getting to spend time with you like this."
Yondu gave him a glance, head tipping slightly to look at him. "Yeah. We'll make time for it," He nodded. They could afford to take some time to get away from their usual place of rest. Or maybe he'd just make time to teach the kid how to do things he needed to know, like shoot a gun, minor repairs, fly a ship. That sort of thing. Either way he didn't see the harm in spending time with the boy. As they drew nearer though, he took the crown from his own head, slipping it out of view under his coat but not dropping it.
Peter grinned and nodded. He liked that idea. When they were alone, Yondu was a totally different man. It was like he got to see a side of him nobody but maybe Kraglin ever got to see. "I'd like that." The boy murmured sheepishly. However, when they got close he noticed Yondu slide his gift into his jacket. He frowned some but knew why. With a quiet sigh he hesitantly pulled his hand out of Yondu's. Instead he clutched to Kraglin's own crown a little tighter with both hands, walking in silence with his Captain.