Ok so its Yondu Week 2020, and I didn't know…again, which means I'm way behind on this. But here we are

Day One: Realisation

Peter has been on the Elector for about two months. He's still a sweet little baby

Realisation about Fatherhood

For Yondu Udonta, the moment he had decided on a split second to keep Peter, give him his name, pretty much announce that he was his and Kraglin's son, and that was it. He was a parent, an actual parent, and in the days that followed as he watched Peter's nursery being assembled by the crew, some who seemed couldn't even hide their glee that the baby was staying.

But Yondu had to get his head around it, it felt easier for Kraglin who was always the more social of the pair, but Yondu was Captain he had a reputation to maintain, and it wasn't easy, not when that baby looked up at him and smiled. Now Peter having got the hang of walking or crawling depending or what mood he was in.

The pair were fortunate that Peter was a good baby, he was happy to go with Yondu on his rounds, before being left with Iztel who had set up a special play corner in the mess hall, and also had a sling, so when he cooked, the baby was strapped across his back.

Peter just seemed to love this as their MasterChef, mixed food and spoke to the baby, who was just rapt by this. Though Iztel had asked Yondu for an assistant more than once, and Yondu couldn't spare the staff.

There had been drastic changes in both Yondu and Kraglin's life the moment they realised because of their jobs, one of them had to be there for Peter, which meant a change in this work-life balance in that they needed life, and it needed a balance. Yondu wasn't a hypocrite this had extended to the rest of the crew, and so far, no one had complained.

But Yondu couldn't help be perturbed, by all of this, by the ramifications of being a father, due to his own shitty childhood, now he was a parent, and it was hard to deal with. He was a Kree battle slave, now Ravager Captain, married, and a parent and this was something he couldn't discuss with Kraglin, how the hell could a Xandarian raised with love understand?

Now instead of studying war manuals, he was reading baby books, and changing shitty nappies, and letting his baby crawl all over him, and laughing and being happy, and with parents who lived on the edge.

Peter would always going to be a target because of it, but the only alternative was giving him to his father, and who knew where Peter would be. Though Yondu had a feeling, it would not be a good outcome.

Yondu tried to hide his dark feelings and thoughts, about what type of parent he would be, how could he stop fucking up Peter's life the same way his parents had done to his?

In a way, he envied Kraglin, always had, for being social, for being a better parent and for being more attentive with their son.

He wondered if it bothered Peter, the shift in tone Yondu had to have outside their quarter, that he couldn't be fun, or laughing, in fact, Yondu didn't remember laughing until Peter came along. But their baby always found something to be amusing or amazed at. His favourite thing at the moment was chasing after Yondu's Yaka arrow and trying to grab it as Yondu whistled and made the baby jump in the air.

Peter was such a good baby, that Yondu felt he couldn't measure up and that Peter deserved better than this.

"Waaaaaaaaaah".

Yondu's eyes snapped open instantly, and he got up and made his way to Peter's nursery, which was illuminated by a small nightlight. They didn't know if Peter was scared of the dark, but Kraglin wasn't happy at their baby in total darkness.

Peter was standing up in his box, with big fat tears running down his face and upon seeing Yondu just reached for him, which Yondu obliged

Peter settled into Yondu's shoulder and sniffled his face against Yondu's bare chest. At the same time, Yondu stroked his back and settled his son, whispering gentle things in his ear, which he had seen Kraglin doing, and it seemed to do the trick. Peter's crying subsided, while Yondu checked that Peter hadn't pooed himself and was grateful that he hadn't. That was one thing about parenthood he hated.

Peter's crying fit had subsided, but Yondu hearing his son's sweet breath was reluctant to put him back down. Instead, he placed Peter in his pouch which made Peter sigh, since he had realised that Yondu's pouch, designed to carry young, did just that and he loved it.

Yondu went back to the main room, and instead of putting Peter down, instead looked out of the port window watching the star fly by, stroking his sons' hair and feeling his son's gentle heartbeat. The same way Yondu remembered the same feeling when he was young and innocent, in his own fathers' pouch, back when his parents were the centre of his world which made their betrayal of him that much harder.

Yondu just stood when Kraglin walked through the door and looked at the pair, and just smiled softly at the scene. He knew only by looking at his husband what was going through his mind. Yondu try to be guarded, but he was so transparent sometimes, as he came up and placed a hand on Yondu; hip and brushed their sleeping baby's hair.

"Talk to me Yondu" Kraglin's voice was no more than a whisper as not to disturb their baby, and Yondu's still looking at the stars, never looked over, but his voice had such a hard edge wasn't surprising.

"I'll never let anyone hurt him Kraglin, I'll give up my life for him in a god damn heartbeat. I'll never let him go through what I did, even if it kills me".

Kraglin didn't reply, and just leaned against Yondu, he knew exactly what his husband was talking about, those scars on his body. Ravagers were meant to show them off with pride, but the marks on Yondu's body just held bitterness and betrayal. Kraglin had a basis of love, but Yondu, he was still figuring out fatherhood and realising what that split decision all meant.

Their reality and reality of parenthood was that no one was more important than they sweet chubby baby, who was in constant danger, and there was nothing they could do about it.

"I know, Yondu, I know" Kraglin replied, as Yondu, seeking his mate's affection reached out for him and just held him close as the Udonta family watched the stars some more.

The End

Next chapter theme Protect

Please review x