Avengers: Destiny Arrives

Sometimes You're the Windshield

The man was thrown onto a table, his unconscious body heavy and slack. He lay on his back and the Guardians surrounded him. They regarded him with varying degrees of suspicion, fear, awe, and in Mantis's case- sorrow.

Peter was the first to speak up. "That's the vacuum of space out there. Tons of dead people. How is this dude still alive?"

Drax shook his head as he continued to gaze at the man. He recognized a powerful warrior, even though the man was unconscious. "He is not a dude. You're a dude, Peter Quill. This...this is a man. A handsome, muscular man."

None of the Guardians could dispute Drax's appraisal. The man was tall, easily over six feet, and his body was indeed very muscular. His handsome face was adorned with a rugged beard, and his features, though marred with distress and covered in soot, were irrepressibly handsome.

Peter looked up at Drax, his expression a mixture of offense and confusion. "Uh, I'm muscular," he spoke defensively.

Rocket and Drax began to detract from Peter's confidence regarding his physical stature in comparison to the sleeping stranger when Mantis signaled for all to be quiet. She walked up to the head of the table and lair her hands upon the man's temples. "He...he feels tremendous loss and guilt. And...he is angry. So very angry." She proved further and sighed sorrowfully. "And he is in love. And he fears for the one he loves. So very much."

There was a pause as everyone took in Mantis's words. Then Drax walked closer to the man and shook his head. "It's like a pirate had a baby with an angel," he said as he looked at the patch over the man's eye.

Peter threw his hands in the air. "Okay, so thanks for that wake-up call guys. You're all great. Guess when Mr. Handsome wakes up he can just replace me or whatever."

"Oh, quit being dramatic," Rocket huffed. "You big baby."

Peter scowled. "You just called me big. I'm triggered. I'm feeling very attacked right now."

Rocket waved a dismissive hand. "Go cry to someone who cares."

"He is very muscular, isn't he?" Drax asked as he looked at Gamora as she lifted the man's arm and ran a hand along his triceps.

"It's like his muscles are made of Cotati metal fibers," she mused.

"Could you stop massaging the man's muscles? Please!" Peter asked. "I'm literally standing right in front of you."

Gamora dropped the are and folded hers over her chest. "Fine. But we need to figure out who he is and what happened here."

Mantis nodded, taking her cue. She leaned over and touched his head again. Her antennae glowed at the tips and she whispered a simple command. "Wake."

The man thrashed violently and the Guardians each drew back and prepared for a fight. He shot up from the table, stumbled against a nearby wall and raised his fists for combat. When he turned to face his rescuers, he saw that there were several weapons being pointed at him.

"Who the hell are you guys?" the man asked in a deep, powerful voice.

After awakening on the strange ship and making peace with its crew, Thor was given a bowl of soup and a blanket, which he draped across his shoulders. He sat alone, slurping the soup. Though it was no feast of Asgard, he was grateful for the warmth it brought him.

Don't think of Asgard, he told himself. Unless Brunhilde was able to evacuate anyone, it's gone. Because of you.

"So, I don't want to be that guy who brings up all your trauma and whatnot," Rocket began as he ambled toward him. "But what the heck happened out here? Why was your ship blown to hell? And how did you survive?"