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There was nothing like letting out her anger by playing Mario Kart with Groot. He brought out the inner angsty teenager in Ava. Letting her curse out when she didn't win or got hit by a blue shell in the game. Those words came out harsher as they had double intentions for slipping off her tongue.

"I am Groot!"

"You did not call me that you little tree sap!" Ava then punched his arm causing him to laugh mischievously.

"You're making his brain rot you know?"

Ava turned to see her brother leaning against the doorframe. She rolled her eyes at him. "Not like you were the same when we lived with Mom."

Peter only shook his head as he entered the room.

"What's up?" She asked, keeping her eyes on the game as she was determined to beat Groot on Rainbow Road.

Peter sat on the chair next to her and grabbed her controller. She gasped and reached for it but Peter pulled it further away.

"You okay sis?"

"I'm fine," Ava mumbled. "Now give me the controller back! You're going to make me lose." She attempted to steal the object back but Peter placed it on a high shelf behind him.

He rose an eyebrow at his younger sister unconvinced of her statement. "You're playing Mario Kart with Groot. You are not fine. What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong Peter okay!" She yelled and walked towards the shelf. Causing Peter to jump while Groot was unphased.

Her hand almost caught hold of the controller but a hand snatched her wrist and brought it down. Peter wore a genuine serious expression, something that was rare for him. "Ava, you can tell me anything. You know that right? Remember our promise?"

Ava stared back at him for a moment as she remembered the day they united, they swore to watch each other's back. Do anything and everything to never be separated ever again. She finally gave in with a sigh.

"I'm just frustrated that the one time I feel certain about a distress signal, we find the biggest pain in the neck." She confessed as she rubbed her forehead with her hand with a hint of regret on her face. She shook her head as she looked down.

"I really am stupid. I shouldn't have listened to you and never dragged us into this mess."

Peter placed a hand on her shoulders and bent down to lock eyes with her.

"Hey hey hey," He said as she captured his kind and tender brotherly gaze.

"You are not stupid. Do you hear me? You are one of the most intelligent people I know. Don't ever let you think otherwise. This dude we found may be a jerk, but you were the one who saved him. Without you, he'd still be stuck on Behert. If he doesn't realize that, then he's a bigger idiot than Thanos."

Peter's words made Ava made her remember what life was like before their mother died. Memories of how he would always be there to hug her when the other boys and girls teased her at school. Now she was in his loving arms that felt like home.

"At least we know this guy isn't trying to wipe out half of the universe." Ava said with a snicker as she pulled out of the embrace.

Peter pointed at her face. "Ah! Is that a smile I see!"

She shook her head and bit her lip. "No."

Her brother only grinned dangerously and Ava looked at him with a suspicious expression.

"Oh look! I think a friend is here!" He gasped with a chuckle as he wiggled his fingers. "The tickle spider!"

"You wouldn't." Ava said with her smile growing bigger and taking a step back.

Peter inched closer. "Oh, but I thought you were friends with spiders like that kid on earth."

"Leave Peter Parker out of this!" Ava snapped with her mouth betraying her as she continued to giggle in response.

Peter Quill then chuckled. "Too late!" He then tased Ava with his fingers and began to tickle her.

"No!" Ava squealed before running off toward the main area of the bottom deck. When she turned the corner, a collision between her and an unexpected contact.

She registered that she smashed into a person.

"Sorry!" Ava said until she caught dark brown eyes looking down at her bright blue ones.

Poe's eyebrows narrowed in confusion and he opened his mouth but Ava rushed past him and hide under the table.

Ava jumped slightly when Poe's head peaked under with an amused smile. "What are you doing?"

"Shhhhh!" Ava said with a finger over her lips. "Go away! He's coming!"

Poe laughed and shook his head before it disappeared to Ava's relief. She held her knees close to her chest. The sound of footsteps made her bite her lip to keep her from laughing.

"She went up there." Poe informed her brother.

Is he helping me?

Confusion rubbed on the nerves she had towards Poe. Not sure whether to hate him more for making her brain scrambled or not.

"Ready or not here comes the tickle spider!" Peter said with a laugh that resembled a clown as she hear him leave.

Poe's head popped back under to see Ava still in her fetal position. "Coast is clear." He whispered with a wink.

She breathed out with her chest puffing out short inhales and exhales as she crawled out. A hand appeared on her face and she registered it belonged to Poe. She slid hers in his as she looked up at him.

Poe lifted her to his feet and she smiled at him for the first time.

"Thanks."

He shook his head once with a charming smirk with a flash of his teeth. "No problem, sweetheart."

Ava rolled her eyes as she let go of his hand, trying to disregard the minor tug at her heartstrings he caused.

"You know, maybe if you drop the nickname maybe I'll like you-"

The sentence was cut off as she felt two hands tase her side, triggering a little scream from her.

Ava turned around to see Peter laughing his butt off. He bent over with his hand slapping the table with the other holding his stomach.

"Peter Jason Quill!" She yelled as she punched his arm. "You are the worst!"

Her brother ignored her scold as he laughed harder, gasping for air. The resistance pilot let out a few chuckles at the Quill sibling's chaotic energy. Peter came back up as he shared a fist bump with Poe.

Ava's jaw dropped and let go of any kindness. Her hatred for him drowned out the smile she gave him moments prior.

Poe snickered and folded his arms. "Sorry darling, I couldn't resist the prank."

She scowled at him as her brother finished his last few cackles as he wiped tears from his eyes. "That was a good one."

He then wandered off and went back to Groots room to play Mario Kart.

Leaving Ava and Poe alone.

Ava glanced at him with a frown, her arms crossed.

"You already suck, but now you suck even more." Ava said as she stuck her tongue out at him. "Hope you're happy."

"Yes, I am. 100% happy." He replied, still wearing the smirk, with a hint of sarcasm. "I'm happy to be held hostage by bounty hunters." 

She shook her head with a huff and couldn't tell if. "For the last time, we aren't bounty hunters, but I'm glad your happy."

Poe chuckled and looked down. "That's what all bounty hunters say." He noticed a small flat box on the table and frowned.

"If you aren't bounty hunters, then explain what this piece of junk is?"

He held up the light object and raised his eyebrows as if this piece of evidence would catch Ava off guard.

Instead, a rude laugh made the skin between his eyebrows scrunch.

"That's a cassette tape, genius." Ava answered with a bright smile as she snatched the tape out of his hand.

Poe grew more confused. "A what?"

Ava shook her head as she rolled her eyes. "You have a droid and a fancy ship for technology, and you don't know what a cassette tape is?"

"Should I?" Poe asked, still suspicious of being captured or not.

"Should you!?" Ava shut her eyes with a sigh before she grabbed his wrist.

Shocked by her boldness and having no choice but to follow her, Poe went along with Ava's non-verbal suggestion he was forced to experience.

Ava stood in from of a wall in the Benatar. She let go of Poe and looked at him. "Ready?"

Poe put his hands on his hips. "You make it sound like you're going to torture me or something."

Ava blinked once at him and crossed her arms. "Poe, when are you going to trust me?"

He opened his mouth to protest, but Ava pressed a button on the stereo. Soon enough a sweet tune of a band playing a joyful melody, came out from the speaker.

"Friday night and the lights are low
Looking out for a place to go..."

The song baffled Poe as he stared at the machine Ava couldn't help but laugh at his slight interest in the giant box.

"What is this?" Poe asked as he talked over the lyrics.

Ava shook her head. "It's called music. You know what that is right?"

Poe frowned at her lack of explanation. "Obviously, but how is it playing out of this?" He pointed at the stereo with a finger, inspecting it once again.

"Earth's magic I guess. I wasn't born yet when it was invented." Ava replied as she started to dance to the song as it build up to the chorus.

"You are the dancing queen! Young and sweet! Only seventeen!" She screamed out of tune making Poe cover his ears. She held out a fist as if it were a microphone as she continued to belt out the lyrics.

Poe flinched as he watch her spin and act as if she was drunk at a Cantina.

"Great song choice sis!" Peter's voice echoed from the other side of the ship.

Ava smiled as she stopped and noticed Poe leaning against the stereo watching her create dance moves he'd never seen before.

"Your planet is weird." He said with a judgmental glance.

"Pft. Do you not have music on yours?" Ava raised an eyebrow as she started to sway.

Poe shrugged. "There is, it's just a live performance with musicians instead of this." He tapped his thumb on the stereo. "But it's pretty cool you can listen to it without a band."

"Shhh! This is the best part!" Ava slapped him to keep him from talking. "You can dance! You can jive! Having the time of your life! Ooh see that girl! Watch that scene! Digging the dancing queen!"

The song faded as Ava quit dancing. "If it's so cool, is that enough proof that we aren't bounty hunters?" She questioned his previous concern.

Poe stood up with a chuckle about to respond when something hit his leg. The two looked down to see BB-8, communicating with his master. BB-8 rolled away, but turned around and waited for Poe to follow. He shared a look with Ava before they followed the droid.

They passed Gamora and Nebula who were playing some space card game. Mantis eating some of the rations from the cabinet. Drax was nowhere to be found as usual. Ava prayed he wasn't going to pop out of anywhere and give her a mini heart attack.

The orange and white ball lead them to Groot who was still playing on the Nintendo Switch. BB-8 piped a pattern of noises to notify the teenage tree.

"I am Groot!" Groot yelled as soon as he saw the robot and threw something at BB-8.

"Groot!" Ava rushed in as she stepped in front of the droid, the object hitting her instead. "Leave the droid alone!"

He shook his head and his arm stretched to the side of her and threw a loose twig at BB-8. "I am Groot!"

"He kept plucking leaves off of you? Did it hurt?" She confirmed. The tree nodded once before shaking his head honestly.

"I am Groot." He muttered.

Ava crossed his arms. "Uh-huh. Did you ask him to stop with manners?"

Groot shook his head again and turned to look at the ball on the floor staring back at him. "I am Groot."

Ava smirked. "That's more like it. BB-8, Groot said he was sorry and asks if you could stop teasing him. Can you do that?" The droid whirred a few things Ava couldn't understand.

"I'll take that as a yes." She sighed and crouched down at his level. "I wish I could understand what you say."

"BB-8 said that the tree shouldn't be so mean."

Ava turned around to see Poe leaning against the doorframe, forgetting he was there. His tired eyes were on his droid before they move to land on her.

He took a few strides until he stood beside her as he looked down at BB-8 for a moment. Ava was lost for words and didn't know if he was going to accuse her of being a bounty hunter again. So she remained quiet, waiting for him to say something.

"Well," Poe let out a long sigh that broke the silence and met her eyes. "You want to learn how to understand my droid?"

Ava was puzzled as she wasn't expecting that response and tilted her head as didn't get why he suggested that.

"What?"

He rolled his eyes. "Sometimes I wonder if you were dropped on the head. You want to learn the droid language?" He asked once again as Ava scoffed at his insult.

"Might as well." She said as she crossed her arms.

"Glad you heard me that time because I wasn't about to offer a third time." Poe added with a huff as he sat on the floor next to his droid. "Sit down, sweetheart, I don't teach well if I'm standing and BB-8 is on ground level."

Her nerves were back to being nibbled by his sarcastic remarks and became tired of dealing with it. She smirked at him and took the opportunity to kick his leg before she set herself across from him.

"Ow!" He exclaimed.

"That didn't hurt that bad, you big baby." She giggled with a mocking pout as Poe squinted his eyes at her. Ava felt a little bit of pride and confidence as he wasn't intimating to her anymore. Just another dork she could mess around with.

Poe rubbed his thigh, where Ava hit, and glared at her. "You know how immature that was?"

"Yes, now let's get started." She said without giving a care to his judgment.

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BB-8 beeped a few things as Poe waited for Ava to guess what the droid was trying to say. He had his arms folded, still triggered by her attitude.

"Something about the screen is bad." She responded pointing to Groot playing the Switch.

"I am Groot." Groot said with a grumpy attitude.

Ava rolled her eyes. "The droid is not wrong Groot! There's a reason why Rocket doesn't like it when you play it!"

The just tree glared at the traitor before returning to the boss level of another Mario game.

"Nice job," Poe admitted trying not to show he was impressed with how quickly she caught on. He rose a questioning eyebrow to change the subject. "Is the tree always so...."

"Angsty?" Ava whispered so Groot wouldn't hear. "Right now he is, since he's a teenager. But from what I heard he was better as an adult and was the sweetest baby. I have only got to be around him for this age." She briefly explained how Groot used to be an adult, but he sacrificed himself. Then explained how the Guardians kept a twig of him and he was reborn.

Poe nodded to show he understood. BB-8 squeaked a few beeps again. Poe looked over at Ava with only his eyes.

"What did BB-8 say now?"

Ava squinted her eyes at BB-8 as she pondered the question, unaware of Poe's stare.

"He said...it's unfortunate to deal with a teenager who complains a lot." She replied.

"I am Groot!" The tree retorted at Ava and was offended once again, throwing something at her.

"The droid said it not me!" She clarified with a small laugh as it she found it funny to see a rivalry between a talking tree and a moving soccer ball.

Ava waited to see if she got the translation correct. It wasn't too difficult to pick up the patterns in the beeps and other noises that came from BB-8.

"Hmm-mmm." Poe approved and flashed a smile at her. He hadn't been around teenagers much, but he remembered a few that were always moody when he trained new pilots. 

"And you thought I was complaining?"

"Don't get me started Dameron." Ava spat. "You're only slightly off of my bad side."

"What!? I thought I was starting to get on your good side." He whined.

"You hear that BB-8?" Ava looked down at the droid with a smile and put a hand to her ear.

Poe sat there in confusion, trying to listen for what she was referring to.

"He's still complaining." Ava teased and crossed her arms with a smug.

"I am not!"

"You just did!"

"Not!"

"Did!" Ava pointed a finger at him. "You did, one hundred percent!"

BB-8 chirped robotic laughs and made some other noises, agreeing with the girl.

His master scoffed. "Both of you shut it! I wasn't complaining!"

"Oh yeah?" Ava leaned forward to intimidate him. "What was all that whining about being on my good side then?"

To her surprise, he was too quick for her interrogating question this time. "Oh darling," Poe snickered a bit as a smirk grew on his lips and he stared back at her with a raised eyebrow. "You're talking to Poe Dameron for Jedi's sake. I don't whine or complain." He said as a matter of fact.

She let out a chuckle before her hand snatched his ear and brought him close to her mouth.

"Ow!"

"And you are talking to Ava Quill, and I'm a darling to no one." She stated into his ear with a fake smile while Poe whined as the pain. "You concerned about being on my bad side and want to start over? Then don't piss me off." She let go and Poe put his hand to his ear as he shot her a glare.

"As you wish."

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