Life On Knowhere
How did I meet Rocket? Shit, what was it? I dunno, look, there was some sort of promotional thing at Stark Tower, and I was there as a guest with a VIP invite--just because I like tech and I like Tony, like, just some rando drawn out of a hat, a--okay, fuck off, the thing wasn't rigged; I was genuinely invited to be there! Anyway, so I was hanging out with the Avengers, and shit, it was great! That's when I met Rocket, and of course, he was insulting my species and planet, it was all primitive this and bald-body that, and I got a bit pissed off.
I was like, "Mate, you're only like this because you've only had bad experiences with this planet--and you've only known Quill, the damn frat boy who never grew up!" and... and fuck me, he started cackling as Quill got this disgruntled look on his face, which made everyone else break out with laughter. I says to Rocket, "Look... if it's alright with everyone, come with me for a bit and I'll show you some cool stuff, give Earth one more chance, eh?" The little guy scoffed--but... he agreed.
So, I asked Tony politely to prep some stuff, a series of little flyers and brochures to give to people when I was out and about with Rocket; they detailed briefly what he was, touched on his life, and of course, his past; Tony did them up so they would engender sympathy for the little raccoon, give him a bit of leeway, and stave off the cliche panic, the screams, the want to call fucking animal control--they stressed that he was a fucking uplifted Raccoon, that he was as intelligent as any person; that he was a person!
Then... I took Rocket to a Steam Engine show. Called ahead, gave the show-greeters a flyer when they made a little fuss about Rocket (they were sorry after reading it) and we were in. I took him about the exhibits. Yeah, they were primitive... but the little guy could see everything, as huge and small flywheels turned, pistons and cylinders moved, governors spun, the sounds; these engines were as raw as it got, and Rocket was mesmerised by these chugging, puffing solid steel and cast-iron machines! "Wanna see a really big engine?" I asked him, grinning. He nodded, and then we went somewhere else, into a huge building, built in 1908.
Rocket looked about and was like, "So, where's the engine?" And I'm like, "... we're in it!" And then the little guy's jaw drops as he sees the huge flywheel; then his eyes are nearly popping out of his head as he takes it all in, this massive, ancient machine. Together, we met Alex Karnes, who took Rocket right through the engine, and the little guy was all over it. His crimson-eyes went a little misty when - after prep, Alex guided him to the small wheel that made the engine start and let him start it slowly with his two li'l paws, then bring it up to speed...
As he heard the massive engine run, the perfect, soothing, rhythmic sound, saw the wheels turning, the parts moving... something settled in Rocket's mind... that a Terran thought up this amazing, amazing machine, so much bigger than he was... That Terrans, for all their being primitive, made this; that everyone had to start somewhere... Rocket bade me kneel and I hugged him, gently. "M'Sorry, for... for..." Alex came over, concerned; then he gently ruffled Rocket's headfur when I explained that the little guy was a bit overwhelmed.
... Later, I took Rocket to a bare stretch of road. "So... why are we here?" he asked. I said nothing, just told him to wait a bit longer. Rocket opened his mouth to ask another question but - *VVVVVVRRROOOM!* - then the Rally Car blew by us and Rocket's fur stood up for a moment! He turned to me, breathless. "... da flark was that?!" he yelped. Thus, from steam engines to the rabbit hole of rally I took the raccoon, and soon he was drooling over car magazines, engine parts and specs, wondering if he might build something similar and race it somewhere on the station Knowhere.
All in all, Rocket had a great time. He still thought many things on Terra were primitive, but he gained a love for steam engines, and rally, and I soon saw a few of the latest magazines poking out from under a work bench... More and more visits to Terra followed, people prepared ahead for Rocket's benefit, so he could have a wonderful time without being seen as an animal; he even gained a few steam and gearhead friends as we went to the gamut of shows and rally races.
Several months later, Rocket broached the idea of me coming to Knowhere. "You've shown me some awesome stuff on Terra; now what say we take a trip back to where I live, yeah? I'll show ya 'round!" I agreed--and fuck me, Knowhere is the gnarliest, most hardcore place ever, the freaking head of a dead GOD! I was like, "Oh my god, this place is awesome; fuck I wanna live here!" I fell in love with the place, the people, the melting pot culture... What could I say, it was a done deal!
... Okay so - after Rocket helped me box up and move all my stuff to Knowhere, mostly books, my PC, clothes, old second-hand PC components; everything bar the furniture I had I'm bloody floored cos Rocket just handed me the card to an apartment that he says he got cheap, fuckin' tearing up I'm like, "What the hell, man!? I'll find a way to pay you back" but he just - I kid you not - freaking waves me away, mumbling something about some bonus from Nova Corps for some bounty or another. I'm... just some fucking near-useless Terran from Earth with no real skills at all - "old" Rocket would have called me a useless bald-body, but this is post-GotG3 Rocket, and he just says... "Keep being my friend...?"
"Of course, man!" I say and I'm fucking gonna KEEP THAT PROMISE cos I think poor Rocket needs a friend who's... not involved with any 'Guardians' business, you know? Rocket's a cool dude once you know him; he and I start hanging out as I unpack my stuff (thank god for all the built-in stuff, plenty of storage space and shelves) and we just talk about all kinds of things--avoiding sensitive topics of course, no need to yap about his past if you know what I mean, so we shoot the shit over milky fizzes (oh, man, to die for, mmh!) and sometimes just Orloni on a stick.
.... and then one day I meet Cosmo. And yes, before you ask, I know she's a super psionic space dog, okay--but when I saw her, I just forgot and so I'm down on my knees reaching out to pet her and talking to her in the soft sorta baby-voice I use for dogs, "Oh, hey, hi, hello sweetie...! Hello pretty girl...!" And... shit, Cosmo whines and then suddenly she's whimpering, cuddling up to me, falling on her side wanting to be petted but, seriously - whoever made that space suit can go fuck themselves - all I could do was pet her head and ears, but she loved it anyway, and she followed me home--aaaaand now she's sorta mine? Uhhh... sorry?
Rocket and I figure out a way to finally get her out of the damn suit and - well shit, she can just be a dog, now so she's cuddling up to me, whimpering lick-lick-licking all over my face and I'm laughing and not really trying to push her away as we collapse on my bed. Trip back to Terra later and I've got all the pet stuff I could ever need for her, canned and dry food, toys, chewable things, a grooming kit, the works. Before any of you people go off at me for thinking of Cosmo as a pet and treating her like one--she was! She was a domesticated dog, and she still has all those instincts, and the want for a human companion, even though she doesn't really need a, well, a master.
New modified suit thanks to Rocket, she can put it on and take it off without difficulty, and she loves a bath, to be dried and then to shake water all over as I laugh and reel away. She loves the simple things like that when she's not on mission, baths, brushing, playing fetch or tug of war, and to sleep cuddled up with me in bed. Oddly, so does Rocket, too... but fuck me if he doesn't sleep in the weirdest places and positions. Sometimes... fuck, sometimes if the missions a shitty one he'll... he'll come to the wrong apartment, if you know what I mean; he sometimes sleeps on my other side all cuddly (Cosmo on my right, he's on the left) with his head on my chest, but other times he's sprawled over my chest diagonal, or he's resting on my pillow curled about my head! And... as it all goes on, we... we sorta become a weird little family, the male Terran with the beard that fixes stuff or does odd jobs, the bomb-and-gun-making Raccoon, and the Space Dog who - with a thought - can squish someone between fuck off colossal blocks of concrete or hold a fucking ship together with her mind. God, I love this place so much!
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