"SHOW TIME A—HOLES." Layla heard her dad's familiar quip, his voice tinged with a blend of excitement and bravado that never failed to elicit a mixture of amusement and exasperation from his companions.

Adjusting the device that Gamora had insisted she wear, Layla exchanged a knowing glance with Owen, who was fidgeting with his own device nearby. "So, you're like fourteen now?" Owen inquired, his voice laced with a hint of teasing as he attempted to navigate the delicate terrain of teenage social dynamics.

Layla shrugged nonchalantly, a small smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. "That's what Dad says, but I think I look at least twenty," she quipped, her tone infused with a playful confidence that belied the insecurities lurking beneath the surface.

Owen chuckled softly, his laughter echoing in the crisp air as he playfully nudged his best friend's shoulder. "Layla, you look no older than thirteen," he teased, his words punctuated by a gentle pat on her back.

Before Layla could muster a snarky retort, their attention was abruptly diverted by the sight of a monstrous beast hurtling towards them from the sky. Owen's mouth hung agape in stunned disbelief, mirroring Layla's own wide-eyed expression as they took in the formidable creature's imposing visage.

"Well, that looks rough," Layla remarked dryly, her voice tinged with a mixture of apprehension and feigned nonchalance as she cleared her throat, attempting to mask the trepidation gnawing at her insides.

As the beast crashed to the ground with an earth-shattering thud, Drax wasted no time in springing into action, his primal roar reverberating through the air as he charged headlong towards the creature with reckless abandon.

Peter cast a concerned glance in Layla's direction, his brow furrowing with genuine worry as he addressed his daughter. "Do you want to sit this one out? You can go back to the ship," he offered, his paternal instincts kicking into overdrive as he sought to shield Layla from harm's way.

Layla emitted a frustrated groan, her eyes rolling skyward as she shook her head in exasperation. "No, Dad, I don't," she retorted, her tone laced with a stubborn determination that brooked no argument as she firmly grasped her blaster, her resolve unyielding in the face of adversity.

Peter raised a placating hand in mock surrender, a wry grin playing at the corners of his lips. "Well, sorry for asking," he quipped, his words laden with a playful sarcasm that served as a testament to their enduring bond.

With her resolve steeled and her determination unwavering, Layla charged into battle alongside her father and their ragtag band of misfit heroes, her heart pounding with a heady mixture of fear and exhilaration as she unleashed a barrage of blaster fire upon the formidable creature before them.

Despite her best efforts to maintain her composure, Layla couldn't suppress a wry grin as Owen stumbled and fell amidst the chaos of battle, his antics eliciting a rare moment of levity amidst the harrowing ordeal.

But her amusement was short-lived as the creature retaliated, its massive form lashing out with ferocious intent, sending Peter hurtling through the air with alarming force. "Fuck you, Owen!" Layla shouted, her frustration boiling over as she instinctively flipped her friend the middle finger, her words punctuated by a potent mixture of indignation and adrenaline-fueled bravado.

"Hey! Just because it's your birthday doesn't mean you can say swear words!" Peter admonished, his voice tinged with a blend of amusement and exasperation as he struggled to regain his footing amidst the chaos of battle.

As the battle raged on, Layla found herself huddled beside Gamora and Drax, their collective gaze fixed upon the towering beast before them. "The beast's hide is too thick to be pierced from the outside; I must cut through it from the inside," Drax declared with unwavering resolve, his words echoing in the air with a solemn gravitas that belied the inherent absurdity of his plan.

Layla exchanged a bemused glance with Gamora, their shared incredulity evident in the arched brows and quizzical expressions that passed between them. "Drax, are you dumb?" Layla quipped.

Despite their protests, Drax remained undeterred, his laughter echoing loudly amidst the chaos of battle as he charged headlong towards the gaping maw of the monstrous creature, his fearless determination a testament to the indomitable spirit that defined their ragtag band of heroes.

"What is he doing?" Peter exclaimed, his voice laden with a potent mixture of disbelief and concern as he surveyed the unfolding spectacle before him.

"He jumped into that thing's mouth because he said it's too thick from the outside to chop through!" Layla explained, her words rushed and breathless as she struggled to make sense of the unfolding chaos.

"That doesn't make any sense!" Peter retorted, his brow furrowing with genuine perplexity as he attempted to unravel the enigma of Drax's inexplicable actions.

"Yeah! We tried to stop him!" Layla added, her words punctuated by a note of frustration as she exchanged a helpless glance with her father, their shared exasperation a poignant reminder of the myriad challenges they faced in their quest to save the galaxy once more.

She watched as Peter let out a heavy sigh, his brow furrowed with concern as he turned to confer with Gamora. "There's a cut on its neck, Rocket! Get it to look up!" he shouted over the cacophony of battle, his voice tinged with a sense of urgency as he directed their plan of attack.

A mischievous grin spread across Layla's lips as an idea took root in her mind. "So I can go use a knife and slice it right!" she quipped, her tone laced with playful bravado as she imagined herself taking on the formidable beast single-handedly.

Peter shot her a reproachful glance, his expression a mixture of amusement and exasperation as he shook his head in mock disapproval. "Uh, no! Gamora is going to shoot it; we have everything under control, so you can just sit here. I am worried about you," he insisted, his paternal instincts kicking into overdrive as he sought to protect his daughter from harm's way.

With a resigned sigh, Layla watched as Gamora discarded the gun she had been preparing to use and drew her sword instead, her movements fluid and purposeful as she charged headlong into the fray. "Guess it's just a spectator sport for us," Layla muttered, her voice filled with a hint of disappointment as she slumped down onto the ground, her gaze fixed upon the unfolding spectacle before her.

Owen plopped down beside her, a wry smile playing at the corners of his lips as he settled into a cross-legged position. "Peter told me to sit over here," he remarked, his tone tinged with a note of amusement as he glanced over at Layla.

Layla shrugged nonchalantly, her expression betraying a hint of annoyance as she contemplated the seemingly arbitrary distance Peter had imposed between them. "Same," she muttered, her voice tinged with a note of resignation as she shifted uncomfortably on the hard ground beneath her.

"He told me to sit like five feet away from you, though... I really think he just hates me," Owen said.

Despite his jest, Layla knew that Owen's remark held a kernel of truth. Peter's overprotective tendencies often left little room for Owen in their dynamic, a fact that had not gone unnoticed by either of them.

To Peter, Layla would always be his little girl, the image of her five-year-old self nestled in his lap as he rocked her to sleep still fresh in his mind. It was a bittersweet reminder of just how quickly time had passed, a testament to the enduring bond between father and daughter that transcended the trials and tribulations of their tumultuous lives.

Layla and Owen snapped out of their conversation, their attention immediately drawn to the thunderous crash of the beast hitting the ground. With a shared glance, they bolted towards the rest of the group, their footsteps pounding against the earth as they closed the distance.

Arriving at the scene, they watched in awe as Drax emerged from the beast's stomach, his triumphant laughter echoing through the clearing. Layla couldn't help but grin as Drax enveloped her and Owen in a tight, gooey hug, their bodies coated in sticky yellow residue from the creature's innards.

As Drax released them, raising his arms in victory, Layla and Owen exchanged a glance, their expressions a mix of amusement and disgust as they tried to wipe the slime from their clothes. "I single-handedly vanquished the beast!" Drax declared proudly, his booming voice reverberating through the air.

Layla and Owen chuckled as they stood up, shaking off the excess goo with exaggerated movements. "Aw! Gross!" Layla exclaimed, wrinkling her nose in mock disgust as she attempted to flick off the stubborn remnants clinging to her skin.

LAYLA QUILL SAT QUIETLY BESIDE PETER
her mind drifting as he tinkered with the ship's radio. Owen had joined them after they changed out of their slimy clothes from the earlier encounter with Drax and the creature's innards.

In the midst of the silence, Layla finally broke the quietude with a sudden declaration. "You know what I want for my birthday?" she posed, her voice laced with a hint of mischief.

Peter responded with a nonchalant hum, silently hoping her request wasn't too outlandish. "To be renamed Rhiannon, like the Fleetwood Mac song?" she proposed, her actions punctuated by the rhythmic bounce of a ball against the wall.

A soft chuckle escaped Peter's lips as he shook his head. "Not happening; I'm already used to Layla," he retorted.

"Come on!" Layla protested, her persistence evident in her tone.

"Be lucky I didn't name you Billy; that was going to be your name if you were a boy, or Kevin," Peter teased in return.

"Gross," Layla muttered, wrinkling her nose in mock disgust at the thought.

"Exactly," Peter agreed, a playful glint in his eyes. Their banter was abruptly interrupted by the blaring sound of an alarm, causing both of them to snap their heads towards its source.

Without hesitation, Peter sprang into action, darting towards the front of the ship with Layla following closely behind. They quickly settled into their seats, Peter beside Rocket and Layla beside Owen, ready to face whatever new challenge awaited them.

"This is weird; we've got a sovereign fleet approaching from the rear," Peter announced, his voice laced with concern.

"Why would they do that?" Gamora questioned, her brows furrowing in confusion.

"Probably because Rocket stole some of their batteries," Drax interjected, his booming voice carrying across the cockpit.

"Dude!" Rocket exclaimed in protest, clearly caught off guard by Drax's revelation.

Drax's attempt to salvage the situation with his feeble denial elicited a subtle smirk from Layla, who couldn't resist indulging in the brewing drama. "He totally stole them," she chimed in mischievously, her eyes glinting with amusement.

Before anyone could respond, the ship was rocked by a sudden blast, causing Layla to instinctively yelp in surprise. Peter's swift maneuvering steered them away from imminent danger, his focus unwavering despite the chaos unfolding around them.

"What are you thinking?" Peter shouted over the din of the alarms and the whir of the ship's engines.

"Dude, they were really easy to steal," Rocket casually retorted, his nonchalant demeanor contrasting sharply with the urgency of their predicament.

Layla nodded in reluctant agreement. "That's pretty valid," she conceded, her tone laced with a hint of amusement.

"Layla!" Gamora interjected sharply, her voice tinged with reproach.

"The kid gets it; you saw how that high priestess talked down to us; now I'm teaching her a lesson!" Rocket argued, his defiance evident in his tone.

"Oh, I didn't realize your motivation was altruism; that's really a shame that the Sovereign has mistaken your intentions... and they're trying to kill us," Peter quipped, his sarcasm dripping like venom as he addressed Rocket.

"Exactly!" Rocket affirmed, seemingly oblivious to Peter's sarcasm.

"I think he was being sarcastic," Owen timidly interjected, his voice barely audible over the commotion.

"Thank you, kid; I was being sarcastic!" Peter clarified, shooting a brief but appreciative glance in Owen's direction.

Owen felt a surge of validation at Peter's acknowledgment, a rare moment of approval from the often aloof father figure. "I—uh—thanks, Mr. Quill—sir," he stammered out, his gratitude tinged with a hint of nervousness.

"Don't push it, kid," Peter responded gruffly, before refocusing his attention on the escalating exchange with Rocket.

As Rocket's relentless barrage of gunfire filled the air, Owen couldn't help but feel a surge of fear coursing through him. "If we die, I have to tell you guys, me and Layla are the ones who drank all your alcohol!" he blurted out, his voice trembling with apprehension.

Layla's eyes widened in disbelief at Owen's sudden confession, her heart pounding in her chest as she processed the implications of his words. Despite the chaos erupting around them, she could hear the subtle exasperation in her father's sigh. "He's just delusional, I swear!" she hastily interjected, her voice tinged with panic.

As the pursuit intensified, Layla's grip on the armrest tightened, her knuckles turning white with tension as Peter navigated the ship with a mixture of skill and desperation. She couldn't shake the nagging doubt gnawing at the back of her mind as her father careened the ship into an asteroid field, hoping against hope that he knew what he was doing.

"Layla, Owen, Groot! Sit back!" Gamora's commanding voice cut through the chaos, her tone imbued with a maternal authority as she attempted to reign in the escalating panic and quell the ongoing bickering between Peter and Rocket, who seemed more preoccupied with discussing Drax's alleged penchant for unorthodox pranks.

Layla and Owen exchanged apprehensive glances before obediently tightening their grip on the armrests, bracing themselves for the turbulent ride ahead. Layla watched with a mixture of awe and trepidation as Gamora gently lifted Groot onto her shoulder, offering him reassurance amidst the chaos.

As the ship careened through the asteroid field, Layla's sense of dread mounted with each passing second. "Son of a—they went around the field!" Peter's frustrated exclamation echoed through the cockpit, punctuated by the unmistakable tremor of fear in his voice.

"WAIT! No! I'm too young to die, I swear!" Layla's panicked cry rang out, her heart racing as she grappled with the terrifying reality of their predicament.

"No one's dying," Peter's voice cut through the cacophony, his words infused with a quiet determination to reassure his daughter and his makeshift family. But before he could offer further reassurance, the Sovereign ships suddenly erupted in a fiery explosion, casting a surreal glow over the chaos unfolding around them.

"Wow, it looks like we're not dying," Owen remarked, his voice tinged with a mixture of relief and disbelief as they emerged unscathed from the heart of the maelstrom.

UHM HI.
ONE DAY I WILL POST CHAPS NORE FREQUENTLY BUT NOT TODAY 😭😭