Video

[yondu]

[There's no particular view, just some market stalls, off kilter and moving a little as Yondu starts talking in his drawl (which sounds markedly southern U.S.).] So, I'm tryin' to build up a collection again. I get little figurines. You know, of animals and people and stuff? And I line my workspace with 'em. Sort of good luck charms. [His blue hand comes into view, showing what looks like a tiny porcelain deer person about four inches tall or so. And it is, frankly, adorable.]

But see, I didn't exactly show up with any of 'em.

So I'm lookin' for some new ones. So tell me if y'all come across any places that got good selections of these sort of things.

This is another'n I got. [And he switches items, showing a jeweled frog thing. He misses his cute little collection of adorable crap. Don't question it.] Just as an example.

Comments

I thought I replied to this but I guess I didn't actually hit *send* like a fuckin' doof.

[yondu]

You think lies'd help sway 'em? Now they're all burnin' up 'cause I ain't gonna go after ya to skin you alive. Accusin' me of goin' soft.

[But now Peter probably knows that Yondu's had that soft spot all along. Even when he had to keep up ruthless appearances for the sake of maintaining loyalty in his crew. Eventually they had to notice that he went easy on Peter.]

I think I got 'em shut up for the moment but we oughta come up with a plan for when we get back. [If he remembers.]

[squadgoals]

I follow. I'll keep an eye out—think I saw something that might fit the bill perfectly a little while back. Hold that thought.

[Sure enough, some time passes before she texts back. When she does, it's simply an image.]

[whosthemonsternow]

Figured I'd give it to you whenever you got back, unless your buddy his his fabricator over there.

[yondu]

Down in Halfway. Number 3.

[He's not that much the fancy type.]

I ain't ever invited a lady to show me a rubber duck before so I'll try to be gentlemanly about it.

[Someone has to be self-aware enough to make fun of themselves when they're asking for baby toys.]

[culver]

What were you captain of?

[beautifulspaceraptor]

I see. When you've sorted that out, just ping me. I'll have the scanner ready.

[ Avagi's growing population of rubber duckies, here we come! ]

[whosthemonsternow]

Not my first time, Yondu, don't gotta be to gentle

[Because she can be silly, sure as hell happy to]

Lemme know when you're back, I'll drop by and show you my duck

[yondu]

Gotta appreciate a hardy woman. I'll let you know.

[tearsinajar]

[ His expression draws out warm laughter, her smile wide. ]

Did I say something wrong?

[yondu]

Somethin' called "Ravagers". I captain a faction of them. [One that is only barely called 'Ravagers', informal and rejected. But he won't say that. He's got some shred of pride in who he is and who they are.]

Sort of a mercenary, independent force.

[yondu]

Not that I mind a real pretty lady takin' a shine to me and all.

I just uh...

Never thought I was cute or nothin'.

[tearsinajar]

It's the collection.

[ She gives him a thumbs up. ]

[yondu]

[He sneers a little, shrugs at the camera which he tilts back to show the frog-thing after a moment.]

They're somethin' that's all mine, that's all. Nobody gonna take 'em away. Ever'body needs a few things that are all theirs.

[He didn't have that for a long time. He was a thing himself.]

[tearsinajar]

And you're absolutely right. Being here, away from home, there's not much that's ours. It's like we have to start from scratch.

[yondu]

Seems like you guys get it harder.

I'm used to not havin' nothin except a few dodads. You people keep buildin' and losin' over and over and over.

[He considers himself lucky that he came in with fair warning not to get settled, just by circumstances.]

[culver]

That is neat. My friend Heine is a mercenary.

[coercive]

[Is she smiling at him calling her angel? She definitely is.]

I can find you. It's easy to follow your smell.

[yondu]

[Terrans with red eyes are unusual, but this kid seems like they might not be Terran exactly. Who knows. He might be wrong. Does it matter?]

[The rubies are pocketed as he pulls out a strip of gum, unwrapping it with the confused difficulty of a man meeting something new. Unwrapping rations? An entirely different monster somehow from handling candy.]

Feel's weird.

[He observes, before putting it in his mouth.]

[And just... lets it sit. Is he supposed to suck on it? Is it that sort of thing? Then chew? Okay he'll chew just a little.]

[The chew turns into an open mouth knowing, baring teeth as he's trying to figure out if this is what it's supposed to be doing.]

[yondu]

So what do you got that's just yours. Figure I can't be the only one that needs a little somethin'.

[yondu]

I'll give y'all somethin'. You're better about mercenaries than most people I'd come across. Less of declarin' people are scumbags. Ain't used to that.

[inconsequence]

[According to everyone from their world. Or - most everyone. They're not exactly human; just pretending to be one, to keep certain someones happy. They certainly didn't expect to enter this exchange with the intention of entertainment, but this is nonetheless...a spectacle unto itself. Plainly, this man has not encountered chewing gum before.]

[They should possibly look into how one goes about explaining things without sounding condescending, but that is practically how they are at baseline. So.]

You chew it, sir. And, potentially, blow bubbles.

[culver]

It is just a way to make a living.

[sonywalkman]

Right. A plan. I could...fake being dead? Get an android or something. Weekend at Bernie's it.

[ It sounds just as unconvincing in tone as it does in concept. It's a bad plan. It's barely even anything approaching a plan.

...It's nothing.

But it's better than having to tell Yondu he's met his father and it royally sucked. ]