AS PETER AND LAYLA STROLLED
through the bustling streets of Xandar, a sense of loneliness crept over Layla like a shadow. Despite the comforting presence of her father by her side, she couldn't shake the feeling of isolation. Thirteen years old and friendless, Layla couldn't help but wonder if her lack of companionship was normal for someone her age.

So when a boy around her age caught her eye and waved in her direction, Layla's heart fluttered with the possibility of a connection. Quick to reciprocate the gesture, she waved back eagerly. But her fleeting moment of excitement was abruptly halted by her father's firm grip on her hand, his protective instincts kicking into overdrive at the sight of a potential suitor for his daughter.

With a hint of mischief in his eyes, Peter concocted a ludicrous tale to dissuade the boy's interest, much to Layla's chagrin. As Peter spun a yarn "She's actually a deadly creature who eats boys! She's kept me to be she slave." The boy backed off, a worried look in his face. Peter gave a satisfied smile and Layla could only sigh in exasperation, resigned to her father's overprotective antics.

"Really, Dad?" she moped, rolling her eyes at his theatrics.

"You're too young," Peter shrugged, satisfied with his impromptu fabrication.

At the entrance of Broker's pawn shop, Peter's hand rested reassuringly on Layla's shoulder as he gently guided her away from the door. Locking eyes with his daughter, he offered her a small smile before delivering his instructions.

"Alright, you stay here, keep watch for Yondu," he instructed, his tone a mixture of authority and concern. Layla nodded in acquiescence, watching as her father disappeared into the dimly lit interior of the shop.

Left alone to her own devices, Layla found herself yearning for some form of interaction to alleviate her boredom. Her silent plea was answered when a green-skinned woman approached, her presence drawing Layla's attention like a magnet.

"Hello," Layla greeted warmly, a flicker of excitement igniting within her as the woman acknowledged her.

"Child," the woman replied, her voice a melodic hum that resonated with Layla's ears.

Curiosity piqued, the woman inquired about Layla's solitary presence, prompting Layla to offer a partial explanation without revealing too much.

"Just waiting for my dad, he's selling something to Mr. Broker," Layla explained, her words tinged with a sense of guardedness.

The woman's interest was piqued, her gaze sharpening as she leaned in closer. "What is he selling?" she probed, her curiosity palpable.

"Sorry, can't say," Layla replied with a shrug, her resolve firm despite the woman's insistent questioning. Before the woman could press further, their conversation was interrupted by the abrupt appearance of Peter, his animated gestures and raised voice drawing Layla's attention back to him.

"We had a deal, bro!" Peter's voice echoed through the street, his frustration evident as he emerged from the shop.

"Dad, what happened?" Layla inquired, concern etched in her features. But before Peter could respond, his gaze flickered to the green-skinned woman, his demeanor momentarily thrown off by her arresting beauty—a sight that made Layla's stomach churn with unease.

Peter's voice wavered with a mixture of frustration and disbelief as he recounted the abrupt turn of events to the green women. "Uh...this guy just backed out of a deal on me," he explained, his tone laced with a hint of bitterness. Layla couldn't help but roll her eyes at the repetition of the information she had just asked for.

"If there's one thing I hate, it's a man without integrity," Peter declared, his attention quickly diverted as he turned on his trademark charm, his gaze fixated on the green-skinned woman before them.

"Peter Quill, people call me Star-Lord," he announced with a hint of pride, though Layla knew all too well that no one other than himself referred to him by that stupid name.

"You have a bearing man of honor," the woman complimented, her words dripping with admiration. Peter's grin widened, his chest puffing out slightly as he basked in the flattery. "Well, y'know, I wouldn't say that. I mean, I'm a single dad, on my own, so that's pretty manly," he boasted, unable to resist the opportunity to impress the mysterious woman.

Layla couldn't help but feel a pang of irritation at her father's shameless flirtation, her arms crossing over her chest in a silent protest. "Oh, so you are allowed to flirt with random people, but not me?" she retorted, her frustration bubbling to the surface.

"You're thirteen!" Peter exclaimed in response, his voice carrying a note of incredulity at Layla's audacity.

Before Layla could offer a retort, the green-skinned woman acted with swift and unexpected violence, her fist connecting with Layla's face before she could react. Pain blossomed across Layla's nose as blood began to trickle down her face, her focus momentarily consumed by the throbbing ache.

"Are you alright?" Peter's voice cut through the haze of pain, his concern evident as he took in Layla's injury. Layla forced a shaky nod, her voice strained as she urged him to pursue the thief. "Yeah, fine, go get the orb," she insisted, her tone tinged with urgency.

Peter nodded in agreement, his gaze lingering on Layla's bloodied face before he sped off in pursuit of the fleeing woman. "Right, you stay here," he instructed.

"You can't just punch my kid!" His voice fading into the distance as Layla sank to the ground, leaning heavily against the nearest wall.

With her eyes closed and her nose pinched to stem the flow of blood, Layla waited in tense anticipation for Peter's return, the tranquil atmosphere shattered by the sudden sensation of being lifted off the ground. Startled, Layla's eyes snapped open to find herself dangling upside down, held captive by a towering tree-like creature. "What the hell..."

"Put her in the bag! Put her in the bag!" a voice clamored from below, prompting Layla to realize that she was not alone in her predicament. Beside the tree-being stood a raccoon-like figure, his eyes gleaming with mischief as he eagerly awaited her fate.

"Dad!" Layla's voice echoed through the chaotic scene as she was unceremoniously shoved into the confines of a large, human-sized bag. Peter, locked in a fierce struggle with the green-skinned woman, was too preoccupied to acknowledge Layla's predicament, his attention consumed by the escalating confrontation.

Undeterred by her captivity, Layla swiftly drew her knife, her movements fueled by a mixture of fear and defiance. With a determined thrust, she lashed out at the towering tree-like creature holding her captive, her blade slicing through the air with precision.

"Stop fighting, kid! You're a bounty, we're just doing our jobs," the raccoon-like figure reasoned, his voice tinged with exasperation as he attempted to subdue Layla.

"Fuck your job!" Layla retorted, her voice laced with defiance as she continued to lash out at her captors, unwilling to go down without a fight.

Just as Layla felt herself being forcibly stuffed into the bag, a sudden sensation of weightlessness overtook her. A golden light enveloped her form, casting a surreal glow over the chaotic scene unfolding before her. Nova Corps, she realized with a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Subject 89P13, drop your weapon," a stern voice commanded, cutting through the clamor of the moment. The raccoon-man cursed under his breath, begrudgingly complying with the Nova Corps officer's orders as Layla watched her father being apprehended by the authorities, along with the green-skinned woman.

"Aw crap," the raccoon-man muttered, his frustration palpable as he relinquished his weapon under the watchful gaze of the Nova Corps.

"By the authority of the Nova Corps, you are under arrest," the officer announced, his words carrying the weight of authority as he addressed the motley group before him.

"...for endangerment to life and the destruction of property," he continued, his tone leaving no room for argument as the gravity of their situation began to sink in.

"LAYLA MEREDITH QUILL, AGE THIRTEEN
The daughter of Peter Jason Quill and the youngest Ravager according to Yondu, but her record is pretty clean for a Ravager. Just a few warnings and overnight jail time," the Nova Corps officer declared, his voice echoing through the sterile confines of the processing center as Layla stood there, her irritation palpable at her father's role in their current predicament.

"What a bunch of A-holes," the guard remarked, eliciting a chuckle from his colleague as they prepared to transfer their captives to the Kyln.

"Most Nova Corps wanna uphold laws, but these here, they're corrupt and cruel," the gruff voice of the raccoon-like figure, identified as Rocket, resonated through the cramped confines of their cell.

"That's probably why they're letting a thirteen-year-old be held here," Layla muttered under her breath, her frustration simmering just beneath the surface. Peter nodded in agreement, his brow furrowed in concern for his daughter's well-being.

"Yeah, why is my underage daughter being held in a maximum security prison?" Peter demanded an explanation, his voice laced with a mixture of indignation and worry. Layla shot him a glare, her annoyance at his inability to keep them out of trouble evident in her expression.

"In here, they don't care how old you are. Sorry, little girl," Rocket explained, his tone dripping with resignation. Layla rolled her eyes at being referred to as a "little girl," a label she had vehemently objected to during their journey to the Kyln. Yet, despite her protests, Rocket persisted in using the diminutive term, much to Layla's chagrin.

"Can you stop calling me 'little girl'? If anything, you're the little one. You're like two feet tall," Layla retorted, her sarcasm cutting through the tension like a knife. Rocket's reaction was swift and heated, his anger evident as he turned to face her.

"Yeah? Keep talking like that and I'll—"

"You'll what? Bite my ankles? Oh no! I'm so scared," Layla interrupted, her tone dripping with sarcasm as she refused to back down in the face of Rocket's threats. Peter struggled to suppress a laugh at the exchange, his amusement evident in the twinkle of his eyes.

"I would kill you, but you're a bounty," Rocket muttered angrily, his frustration evident in the way he bristled at Layla's defiance. Groot, the towering tree-like creature beside him, couldn't help but chuckle at the exchange.

"I am Groot," Groot chimed in, his voice rumbling with amusement.

"Shut up, you big idiot," Rocket snapped at Groot before turning his attention back to Peter. "You're lucky those Nova Corps came along, or your little toddler would be cornered by Yondu and his Ravagers," he remarked, his words laden with a mixture of resentment and grudging respect.

"I've had a lot of folks try to hurt my kid over the years, and I'm not about to let her be brought down by a raccoon and a talking tree," Peter declared, his determination to protect his daughter shining through in his words.

"What's a raccoon?" Layla piped up, drawing Rocket's attention once again.

"You know what a squirrel is, but not a raccoon?" Rocket scolded, his irritation evident as he struggled to comprehend Layla's apparent ignorance.

a/n

we love Rocket and Layla's frenemie relationship. Can wait to make them fight more 🤞

Anyways new chapter out really soon ig. But I have to also update my scream fanfic so