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i.
Peter remembers being twelve years old, used to the embrace of his mother as he curled against her chest during a scary movie or a loud thunderstorm. Used to the sound of her heartbeat and the hits of the day playing over the radio. Used to the way it seemed she could make everything and anything better with a stroke of his hair or a kiss pressed into his forehead.
With Yondu, it’s different.
The Ravagers all sleep in dog piles, lying under or on top of each other, twisting limbs around each other in uncomfortable positions, faces buried deeply in someone’s chest or thigh or hair.
Peter assumes, because the other Ravagers do this, Yondu wouldn’t mind if he did it.
The first time Peter attempts to curl up to Yondu, Yondu jerks awake immediately, tensing and pushing Peter back roughly.
“What are you doing, boy?” Yondu hisses
“I’m scared,” Peter whispers “the howling outside…” he tries to explain, feeling worse by the second.
“Just some them ol’ native animals, you’ll get used to it soon enough…go back to bed,” Yondu says dismissively, rolling away from Peter.
Peter turns away from Yondu but doesn’t leave. Instead he settles into the space left Yondu left and drifts into a listless sleep.
ii.
The second time Peter attempts to curl up to Yondu, he assumes it’s okay because Yondu’s first mate Kraglin is spooning him and holding onto him with a death grip.
It takes a little while for Yondu to realize Peter is there this time, but he groans in disapproval and pushes Peter away again, although this time with a little less malice.
“Boy I told you ain’t nothin’ to be scared of here…go back to your own spot,” Yondu says.
“I’m cold,” Peter says simply
“Get a blanket then, boy” Yondu says, speaking to Peter as if he was dumb.
“Okay…” Peter says dejectedly, crawling away soundlessly.
Behind Yondu, Kraglin feels a pang in his heart.
iii.
The third time Peter attempts to curl up to Yondu, he’s successful. Yondu is about to kick Peter out again, but Kraglin kicks Yondu in the leg and whispers for him to “stop being such an asshole”.
Yondu is about to argue, but Kraglin scoots away from Yondu, creating a Peter-sized space between them.
“Come here,” Kraglin says, motioning for Peter to crawl in.
“Kraglin I swear…” Yondu huffs, but doesn’t do anything to stop Peter.
Peter curls up between the two men, his back resting against Kraglin’s chest and his head gently leaning against Yondu’s chest.
“Just for this one night I guess…” Yondu grumbles, resisting the urge to card his fingers through the boy’s hair. No, that would show that he actually cared, just a little bit.
Kraglin smiles at Yondu over the top of Peter’s head and Yondu rolls his eyes before closing them.
When he thinks Peter is asleep, Yondu wraps his arms around the boy and feels a strange warmth in his chest.
Is this what family feels like?