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It had taken a lot of work, a lot of time. There had been obstacles to overcome, many a shed tear (ok, not really). But the moment was finally here. Peter admired his team.
His team in matching, pink bowling shirts.
Gamora was the only one next to Peter who looked remotely normal in the shirt and shoes. She was sitting, looking bored as Drax was trying to figure out how to type their names onto the screen. The tattooed man looked like he might bust out of his ridiculously tight shirt if he inhaled too deeply. Rocket was sitting opposite of the assassin, angrily chugging beer. He looked so adorable in his little bowling shirt Peter wanted to put him in his pocket and carry him everywhere. The raccoon hadn't minded putting the shirt on, but then he found out it came from the children's section, and after that everything was just wrong. He was the only one they didn't have fitting shoes for, so he was wearing white socks on his tiny little paws, angrily dangling off the seat. Groot was sitting beside him, stroking the fabric of his shirt with a mesmerized expression on his face. It looked more like a weird midriff top than a bowling shirt on his giant frame. Peter turned to Drax.
"Hey, put my name in as Star-Lord," he said. Drax started hitting the screen. Rocket groaned and rolled his eyes, slamming the empty beer on the table.
"Seriously? We're gonna do nicknames?! Alright," he scoffed, turning to the tattooed man, "Why don't ya make Groot's name Grooty-pa-Tooty and mine Sex Bomb." Drax started typing. Rocket gasped and straightened up, flailing his arms.
"No no no, you freaking moron! I was joking!" It was too late; the names appeared and solidified on the board. The raccoon groaned, hiding his face in his paws. The Flora Colossus looked up at the names, and smiled at his partner.
"I am Groot," he said. Rocket's mouth twitched a little, but he managed to fight the smile. He slapped the giant man with his palm.
"Oh, shuddup!" he huffed, quite pleased despite himself. Drax frowned as he straightened up, trying to flex his arms.
"This shirt is too tight. It is uncomfortable," he muttered. Peter squinted dramatically and puffed out his chest, extending his arms to the side.
"This fabric feels most uncomfortable against my skin, I wish to be naked but the ladies would attempt to ravage me. Ah, it is hard work, having such large, rippling muscles all over, but somebody must do it!" he said, flexing his biceps. Drax stared at Peter with an open, curious face.
"What are you doing?" he asked. Peter felt his face heat up and grabbed a beer.
"Nothing," he muttered.
"He was impersonating you!" Rocket added a bit too helpfully, somehow sitting on Groot's lap at this point. Drax frowned at the human.
"I do not sound like that. And what were you doing with your arms? I have never said such things," he pointed out. Peter opened his mouth but Drax continued.
"Although I do enjoy being naked," he muttered to himself. Face red, Peter turned away and chugged the entire beer bottle in one go. He bowed at Gamora, who smiled a little at the gesture.
"Ladies first?" Quill asked. The assassin got up, rolling her eyes, and walked to pick up a ball. She estimated the lane, walked calmly to the line, bent over and sent the ball gliding almost soundlessly. It hit the middle and all the pins crashed down. Gamora turned around nonchalantly and walked back.
"Show-off!" Rocket yelled from Groot's lap, eliciting a small smile from her. Peter nodded, puckering his lips.
"Not bad, not bad," he mused. "Now, allow me to demonstrate how a real master does it." Gamora rolled her eyes again, sipping from a bottle. Peter picked up a ball carefully, and turned to his friends.
"She got the job done, but bowling is about more than just striking. It's an art form." He paused for effect. "It's the way you do it, the motion, the soul you put into it. It's like making love to a beautiful woman."
"If this is how you making love looks like, I don't wanna imagine it," Rocket muttered, making Groot tremble silently. The Colossus stroked the raccoon under his fuzzy jaw, smiling.
"Don't look at me, you know I'm right," Rocket said to no-one in particular, leaning into Groot's chest, lifting his chin up for the hand to caress. Peter's face was an indignant knot.
"It's an expression!" he snapped, turning towards the lane. The others waited for him to get into the zone. He sent the ball sliding, his whole body arching to the right, and then...
No.. no.. NO!!
The ball hit the gutter right before reaching the pins. Peter was mortified. In front of his entire team? Really? Wasn't bowling supposed to be like riding a bike, something you never forget? He ran his fingers through his hair, not wanting to turn around. Drax appeared by his side. The larger man observed the scene.
"So the purpose of the game is to get the ball into the gutter. What is the meaning of those little bottles at the end, then?" he asked. Peter glared at him. Drax had an innocent expression on his face. Since The Destroyer had started learning about metaphors and sarcasm, it was moments like this Peter became seriously paranoid about whether Drax was sincere or just fucking with him.
"Alright, let's see you do it," he grumbled. Drax picked up a ball and threw it rather hard. It instantly fell into the gutter. Drax and Peter stared at it trailing down, until it disappeared from sight.
"There is something wrong with the ball," Drax said quietly. Peter gave the larger man a long look.
"So when I fuck up, it's my fault, but when you fuck up, it's the ball?" he said flatly. Drax seemed to consider this before nodding.
"Yes," he confirmed. Quill didn't even have the energy to react, he just sort of slumped.
"Your turn, Rocket," Gamora said. The raccoon groaned, climbing down from the lap of the Colossus who seemed displeased to let him go. Rocket stood on tippytoes and picked a ball at random. Peter opened his mouth when he saw the color of the ball. Rocket tugged the ball down, instantly shaking from the weight, knees trembling and ears flat. Peter leaned forward.
"Maybe you should-" he started, but was instantly silenced by the short man's piercing glare. It was terrifying, even as Rocket shuddered just to stay upright underneath the ball. Peter wanted to say a number of things, that Rocket should pick a ball smaller and lighter, that he should pick one from the children's shelf, but he couldn't imagine a scenario in which he spoke those words that didn't end with him losing his testicles, so he said nothing. He leaned back in his seat, and after what seemed like a long time, Rocket took his glare off him and focused on the lane.
"I am Groot!" the Flora Colossus reprimanded.
"Can it! If I want yer flarkin opinion, I'll ask for it!" the raccoon snapped, his balance shifting from side to side, wobbling closer to the line. Peter wasn't sure if he could watch. Rocket halted and threw his entire weight into hurling the ball forward. It clonked right into the gutter. The raccoon jumped and pulled at his ears.
"Oh come on! This thing is rigged! They're screwing with us!" he yelled. Gamora covered her forehead with her hand; these morons were starting to give her a headache. Rocket huffed, clambering onto a chair. Peter told Groot it was his turn. The Flora Colossus rose slowly and lumbered to the balls. He petted the hem of his shirt, smiling at the others.
"I am Groot," he said. Rocket sighed loudly, taking a swig from his third beer bottle.
"Yeah, yeah, we get it, you're freaking adorable," he proclaimed, slightly embarrassed. Groot smiled so wide the corners of his eyes wrinkled.
"I am Groot," he agreed before turning to the balls. He picked one matching his shirt, and tried to fit his long fingers into the tiny holes. It was no use. Alarmed, he looked at Quill. Peter raised his brows and waved his hand once.
"It doesn't matter, just throw the ball," he assured. Groot looked a bit uncertain, but turned towards the lane anyway. He gently pulled his arm back, and focused. Then the ball shot into the air, bouncing over lane after lane and crashing through the wall. An alarm sound went off somewhere. Peter, Drax, Gamora and Rocket shot up, glancing around quickly. Groot turned towards them, a questioning look on his face. Peter looked up at the cafeteria worker, who had gotten out of her seat and was on the phone, glaring at them. Smiling and clapping his hands together once, he turned to his team.
"Well, that was fun. Shall we go?" he asked with a slightly hysterical voice. Groot frowned.
"I am Groot?" he asked as the others took off.
"Yeah, it's a tie, everyone wins!" Rocket yelled. Groot easily reached his team and scooped up his mate on the go, holding him against his chest as he ducked out the door and towards their ship. Peter glanced back as they ran.
"Hey we totally need to do this again sometime-"
"SHUT UP!"