Learn To Fly
The moment they reached the ship it was like something had come over him. The captain return to his usual hard self.
"What'r yah lookin at? Get yer sorry asses on board we've got places to be!" He snapped and set everyone into motion. Yondu led the way up the ramp into the jump ship that was going to get them to his home. As the other ships began to take off, Yondu glanced at Peter.
"Take a seat," Yondu pointed towards the co-pilot's seat, "You're getting your first flying lesson. "
The boy watched everyone scurry about as their Captain barked orders. He stood there quietly, side stepping one of the Ravagers who ran past in a hurry. Quill blinked though when the older man motioned for him to sit close by. Peter gasped and grinned, jogging over to sit down with wide eyes full of sudden excitement. He was eight though sooo many it was a good idea just to watch and learn and nothing too handsy just yet.
Yondu sat himself down at the controls and he took hold of them with both hands. "See the switch on your left. Flip it and bring the thrusters on line," He reached over and flipped a few switches on his own panel, leaving some for Peter to do. " Two switches down from that you can flip that one too. It'll close the bay doors."
This must be what it was like for kids to learn how to drive from their parents. Except he wasn't sixteen and this wasn't a car. Even cooler. The boy nodded at his command, being careful and flipping the bright orange switch which made the ship shudder in a familiar way. Grinning he lent over two switches down and flipped the blue switch. Just like that the doors behind them began to close.
"Wh-Whoa. So cool."
"Atta boy," The Captain praised and he mate a little motion, "There's a button there on your left joystick. Push it to bring up the HUD." While he did that, Yondu set up the controls for single pilot. The secondary controls would move in time with his but could not be taken over and would not alter course if Peter moved them. He wasn't quite big enough just yet to reach both comfortably but that was alright.
"When you've done that put your hand on that control on your right. Get a feel for it while I fly."
To be given this much space and freedom to learn meant a lot to the boy. He was a hands on kinda kid so this way of learning was a big help. He pressed the button and watched the lights twinkle above him with a course and a map showing just where they were going. It was cool to be so up and personal with the controls like this. He obeyed again, his hand gripping the stick and letting his palm get use to it. "Th-This is so cool."
Yondu maneuvered the jumpship up and away, glancing sideways at the boy. "We'll give it a little bit before we let you try flyin with the controls," He stated, "but you gotta learn all the other things too. What each switch, button and dial does. How to read the HUD and stats. " But Quill was a keen kid. The Ravager had no doubt he'd sort it out in no time. They could take trips away from the main ship when they were in safe space.
The boy grinned, his fingers dancing over the controls around him, mapping them out and keeping what they did to memory like the ones Yondu just told him about. Peter was a boy who worked with his hands, something his mother helped him learn from the very start by making silly flower crowns. Who knew such a talent of the hand would come in handy in the long haul. "Give me a week and I'll know everything about this ship." The boy said confidently.
Yondu refused to beam with pride. But the glint of it shown in his eye as he fought the hints of a smirk. "Good. I expect no less." Quill would have access to everything he needed to learn.
Yondu knew that Kraglin would certain be okay to teach him some about the more intimate workings of the jumpships while the Captain was busy. So he would let it be for now. Maybe in a year or two Yondu would give one of the small ships to Peter. Maybe.
"Maybe even less so." Three days tops. The boy was a secret genius in some ways. Peter would not let Yondu down. After all, if not for him he might've been bunny food. The least he could do was learn about the ships for his Captain. It would be about twenty minutes before they made it back to the ship. With a sleepy yawn he settled in his chair, rubbing at his tired eyes. All that energy from earlier was beginning to drain.
"I don't doubt it," The older male stated. If Peter put his mind to things Yondu knew he'd sort it. The kid was extraordinary. When he looked over at him and saw him yawn the Captain shook his head. "Get some rest. I'll wake you when we reach the ship." It had been a long day. He'd been running ninety to nothin' the whole damn day down on the planet and now he was feelin it. He didn't blame him a damn bit.
"M'not sleepy." Peter said defiantly and he rubbed at his eyes in frustration. But he was and they both knew it. He huffed some, fighting off the sleep he knew was beckoning him into a much needed slumber, but he was having too much fun and learning things. "I-I can make it till we get home. Promise." Quill said with a pout. He totally wouldn't.
"Whatever yah say kid," Yondu shook his head a bit and returned his attention to following the other Ravager ships back to their home. The large vessel waiting for them in orbit was his baby. He'd had her for ages now and everyone he flew with learned to love her as much as he did. She always provided, even when she was more run down that most other ships. She'd run em into the ground. Reliable. Safe.
He let silence settle as he flew.
It wasn't long till the boy went fully silent besides Yondu. The boy had drifted to sleep within five minutes, out like a light. His head lulled to the side of his seat, his eyes closed and lips slightly parted. Peter's chest heaved up and down slowly. Poor kid looked like a drained and exhausted little puppy. Still his fingers loosely clung to his flower crown he had made, it sat there on his lap, still and perfect as when he made it.
When they slipped into the hangar bay, Yondu settled the ship down and then stood, striding over to Peter. He lifted the boy up in his arms without waking him and carried him down the ramp. The look on his face kept curiosity at bay. No one was going to outright question him, though many would have accused him of goin' soft on the kid. They weren't wrong, but that didn't mean Yondu wouldn't stick his arrow right between their eyes either.
The boy slept soundly as he was picked up out of his seat. For such a rough man, he had been gentle enough to have the boy in his arms and never stir in the process. Peter laid limply against the elder mans chest, his head nuzzling into Yondu's shoulder some, utterly oblivious of the crew watching the two and the smirk Kraglin wore as he opened the sliding door for his Captain so he wouldn't have to himself.
"Don't gimme that look," Yondu grunted at the man who was about as close as it got to second in command on this ship. " Kid made you a flower crown..." He gave the Xanderian a sidelong glance and the hint of a smirk. The Captain slipped through the doors and headed towards the bunks.
"I ain't given you no look Cap'n." Kraglin gave his best innocent grin before waiting for him to come on over with the kid. He chuckled some, looking down at the exhausted child in Yondu's protective grip.
It was kinda cute.
"Wait th'kid made me somethin'? Aw'shucks." Krags chuckled again and nodded. He'd grab it from the ship once the rest of the crew was out. With a tiny wave, he watched the two leave.
Yondu gave the other a nod of his head, and he took Peter to his own quarters.