Chapter Text
It had been quite some time ago that Yondu had stopped waking up in the morning with a smaller, yet solid, weight on top of his chest.
Peter had grown up, but currently, Yondu found it quite nice to have the kid around again, even if he was several years smaller than when they first acquired him. Within the last fortnight, Yondu had gotten used to falling asleep and waking up with Peter curled against him and he didn't mind. Despite the threats to kill each other and the physical fist fights back in the day when Peter thought he was invincible and could handle everything, they had a strong bond. One most Ravagers didn't have with their captain. Granted, it only happened because Yondu'd hoped that Peter's father would come looking for the boy himself when he discovered that Yondu wasn't gonna deliver him like he said he would. Yondu wanted to see the man again, to give him the hardest, most forceful, face-breaking punch in the history of the universe. The man was a jackass and had screwed Yondu over big time and he needed to pay. But...over time, Yondu'd gotten kind of attached to Peter. And Peter quickly fit in with the crew like a Tetris block.
Exactly like a Tetris block, really. The crew would be standing almost shoulder-to-shoulder listening to orders from their captain, and here would come tiny little Peter, always late to the party, weaving his way in between each of the crew members and tripping them up or knocking them straight down as he did so. But Peter became crew, and Yondu had a 'no man...or woman gets left behind (unless we can't save him...or her)' rule.
When Peter was a kid, Yondu was more like his father-figure. Always telling him what he can and can't do, always making rules and decisions for Peter, making sure he was fed, clothed, sheltered...protecting him when danger was nearby. As Peter grew older, Yondu became more like an older brother. Sometimes it was fun to be in each other's presence while on missions. Like the cool older brother you tag along with when he goes out with his friends. And sometimes Yondu was the absolute worst person in the Galaxy.
The captain folded his hands behind his head, waiting for Peter to wake up. The boy was practically on top of him, still asleep. He was curled up, leaning his upper body on Yondu's chest. It reminded Yondu of a drunk woman at a bar, clinging to the toilet because she was about to puke. One of Peter's little legs was jutting outward, due to a bright blue cast. The latest addition to Peter's injuries.
Little Peter, as it turned out to be, was a little clutz. He'd injured himself while climbing around (after Yondu had advised him SEVERAL TIMES not to). And now he had a bright blue cast to show off. It started just below his knee and went all the way down to his toes.
As bad as Yondu felt for Peter, he thought it was quite cute. It was heavy and weighed Peter down, he couldn't move very fast and he lumbered like an angry badger when he walked.
One hand slipped from behind his head and tangled in to Peter's soft hair. They boy's green eyes peeled open. He blinked them a few times and babbled something incoherently, which Yondu had come to understand was some kind of "good morning".
"Good morning, Petey," Yondu replied, sitting up and helping Peter sit up. The boy frowned, shifting until he found a comfortable position to sit, then gave Yondu a huge smile.
"Play?" He asked.
"Not right now. We've gotta make sure everyone's doing what they're supposed to be doing first," Yondu slid out of bed and tugged his fuzzy trench coat on, then scooped Peter in to his arms.
'All he ever does is work," Peter thought, bracing himself on Yondu's shoulder. 'He needs a break.'
"Do you remember who we look for first in the morning, Pete?" Yondu asked, lowering Peter a bit so he could look the boy in the face.
Peter already knew the answer, "Kagun." He frowned when he couldn't pronounce the first-mate's name right.
"That's right. So where is he? Where do you think he could be?"
"I know," Peter tried to wiggle out of Yondu's arms, but the Centaurian tightened his grip.
"It'll take us hours if you walk. You're still not used to gettin' around with your cast yet."
Peter thought for a moment. Yondu was right. The cast closed him down a lot. "Okay..."
"So, where's Kraglin?"
Peter spoke slowly, so he wouldn't mispronounce his words or gain a lisp. "Kraglin is...eat-ing."
"So he's in the mess hall?"
Peter nodded. He'd memorized the routine of the first mate by now.
As the pair made their way toward the mess hall, Peter noticed how much more relaxed Yondu seemed to be when Peter clung to him. He wasn't constantly yelling or snapping at someone or even actively threatening to kill.
Peter liked this Yondu better than what he had before the incident. He rested his little chin on Yondu's shoulder and sighed. It was great and all, getting to do nothing and everything he wanted to when he wanted, but he missed his friends. He wondered what they were up to.
'Probably having brunch with Nova Prime.' He thought.
He was set on the floor of the mess hall once they entered. He spotted Kraglin sitting at one of the tables, spooning food in to his mouth. He limped over, little leg in the cast making him wobble a bit and struggle for balance.
He climbed up in to the seat beside Kraglin's, grabbing the man's pant leg and using it to help pull himself up.
"Ew, get him away from me," Kraglin complained. He was tired, having joined an early morning shift, and the last thing he needed to do was be in the presence of a child, not to mention that child was Peter. And Peter was annoying sometimes. He didn't hate him, just preferred him to not be a little gross baby.
'Rude' Peter thought, standing up on the chair so he could reach the table.
"He ain't that bad, Krag," Yondu said, lightly hitting the man on the back. "Just keep an eye out on him for a minuet and make sure he doesn't run away."
"Boss! Don't leave me alone with him! He'll probably pick his nose and wipe it on himself! I may be a ravager but even I've got standards when it comes to being gross!" Kraglin's pleas fell on deaf ears. He turned back to Peter, who was staring right at him.
The boy spoke slowly, so he wouldn't stumble over his words.
"Not gross. Small Peter," he pointed to himself. Then he pointed to his head, as if motioning to his brain "Big Peter here."
"What?" Kraglin looked incredulously at the boy.
"Big Peter here," Peter explained it as best he could. "Won't be gross."
The first mate dropped his fork on the table. "You mean you're completely aware of what's happened?"
Peter nodded vigorously. "No tell Yondu."
"Wh..?"
"He work too much."
"He..." Kraglin processed it. "Oh. I see. You want to give him a break."
Peter nodded.
"You do realize that making him look after a kid isn't any kind of break at all, right?"
"But...he play with me. He take a nap when I sleep. He don't kill nobody."
"He's...less aggressive." Kraglin nodded, thinking about the captain's attitude change in the last three weeks. Yondu was so occupied with Peter that he didn't have time to breath down Kraglin's neck about keeping the others in order. And it was nice to not have to dispose of any dead bodies laying in the hallways. "Pete?"
"Ya?"
"You keep on playing this for all it's worth. But don't keep Yondu too distracted, ya hear."
"I hear," the boy gave a mock salute.
"Now get away from me."
"Okay." Peter sat down on the chair and slid his way off the chair careful not to hurt his foot. He limped off to find the captain (and maybe ask to play a game of catch.)
Kraglin watched the kid, picking his fork back up and continuing to eat. It's not that he hated Peter, the boy was like a brother to him, he just...didn't like kids. They cried and drooled and wiped their snot on your sleeve. Disgusting.
Lucky for him, Peter still had sense of his mind. If he did anything gross and disgusting, it would be on purpose, and Kraglin can hold it against him later.