Star Crossed

"Drops of Jupiter"

KATIE POV

I sat up from the bed, hearing the faint strains of the radio from the main deck. I got out of Pete's bed awkwardly only barely registering that I had been moved from my initial position on the couch. I wandered past the couch, and saw that the blanket had been strewn lazily across the floor, and that the pillows had been stacked in a triangle. Pete did this solely to annoy me. While Pete was hectic and messy, I was calculated and orderly. This was not the first time I had ended up in Peter's bed (Stop all that filthy thinking you lovelies! Although.. Perhaps I should put some of that in here..) There had been countless instances where he had brought a girl home and let her use my room. The first time I was furious, now it is more of a solemn routine. I almost never make it the whole night on the couch, Peter always moves me to his bed without waking me. I used to complain to him non-stop, but he would only ever smile and change the subject.

I climb up onto the main deck, and make my way over to the small kitchen station. I grabbed a mug and the pot and attempted to pour myself a cup, however I failed to realize that all the coffee was gone. I only ever made enough for two. Obviously Bereet was still with us. Obviously she helped herself.

Begrudgingly I walked into the other room where Peter and Bereet where sitting. Bereet turned and gave me a quaint smile, while Pete continued to tap away at the screen suspended at eye level.

Just as I had begun to leave, a soft beep filled the room.

"Peter you have call" stated Bereet as she moved to answer the call.

"No!" "Wait don't!" Peter and I warned as she clicked the small screen, sealing our doom.

I winced as Yondu came on the screen

"Quill? Kate?" he questioned

Peter glared at the small pink skinned girl. As he turned to face Yondu.

"Hey Yondu-"Peter greeted coldly

"I'm here on Morag, ain't no orb, ain't no you." Pushed Yondu

"Well we were in the neighborhood, we thought we could be nice and save you the hassle," I covered quickly knowing Peter would need time to think up an excuse.

"Well where the two of you at now girl?" Yondu questioned angrily glaring at me.

I shrunk back a little, giving Pete his chance to answer

"I feel really bad about this..." Peter responded "but I'm not going to tell you that."

"I slaved Putting this deal togeth-"Yondu pestered

"Slaved?" I mocked "You, Yondu, slaved over something? Now that's funny." I cut him off slightly, laughing to myself.

"Making a few calls is slaved?" Peter said sarcastically as he gave me a sideways smirk.

"Yeah and now you're going to rip me off!" Yondu yelled "We do not do that to each other. We're Ravagers. We got a code!"

"A code! This just keeps getting better." I mumbled again, quietly enough that only Pete could hear me.

It was clearly getting harder for him to keep a straight face, so I cut out of the little argument and sat down next to Bereet, to enjoy the show.

Pete could handle himself from here on out. He only ever needed me to get the ball rolling in his favor, give him time to plan out what he wanted to say.

"Yeah, and that code is 'steal from everybody' "Peter continued

"When I picked you up from Terra-"Yondu reminisced

I lowered my head unto the cold table. Here we go again. The whole "I single handedly saved your lives from my cannibalistic crew, so you owe me" story.

I zoned out, and went back to my room to change. I put on my regular outfit, assuming that after Peter had talked to Yondu, we would be headed to God knows where to sell it. I put my hair into a low braid, frowning at the strands that fell out along my face, and laced up my favorite boots.

I geared up, only bringing my favorite gun and a few small knives. I wasn't too great with them, but every time I'd left them, I wished I would have had them. I grabbed my brown leather backpack and packed a few essentials, and headed back out the door to see Pete doing the same.

"So where too?" I asked him as I playfully bumped his hip with mine.

"Selling the orb and dropping off..." He paused at her name, trying to remember.

"Bereet. Her name is Bereet..." I sighed and hung my head.

"I knew that..." Peter retorted as he moved over to grab the orb from its resting position on the counter top, and moved behind me to place it in my bag, along with his Walkman. I said nothing, but I was internally in emotional turmoil.

His Walkman? Really? In all our years together not once had he trusted me with anything more than holding it. I knew what it meant to him, and I felt honored. But at the same time I was sure I would somehow break it or lose it. I could never do that to Pete.

I turned and looked him straight in the eyes. He glanced back at me, meeting my searching gaze with a blank stare. It was the kind of look you give when you don't want to say anything out loud. You don't want to explain yourself, you want them to trust you. He knew that I had noticed the Walkman, and he knew how I felt about it. His eyes pleaded with me to go along with it, not ask questions, and not bring it up.

I nodded slowly and turned away slightly, still watching Peter out of the corner of my eye.

He quietly sighed, shoulders slumping. He closed his eyes and tilted his head back, as he walked away from me and down the hall.

I couldn't help but smile as I busied myself with more packing.

PETER POV

Once I turned the corner, and Katie was out of sight, I jumped into the air. I had been waiting years to get that cool 'one look says it all' thing down, and finally did it. I fist pumped the air as I walked down the corridor.

It wasn't that I didn't trust Katie before now, it was just that... I don't really even know.

It just sort of happened. I was just packing things as normal, I always put my stuff in Katie's bag, she always hands her stuff to me to put in, and it's just what we've always done.

But this time, I pulled my Walkman out of my jacket and put it in with everything else, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

I stopped walking and looked intently at the wall next to me.

After I put the Walkman in the bag, I just stood there like an idiot. I almost didn't know what to do. I almost expected Katie to take it out and hand it back to me, but she didn't. She just watched me and said nothing, which was rare. Katie always told me when I screwed up, or when she knew what my intentions were, but this time she didn't have a witty remark, or a sarcastic joke. I almost tried to laugh it off, but I was too busy trying to figure out why I was letting her keep it in her bag.

You would think I would be afraid of letting her carry it. She isn't the most graceful of people, and she honestly gets hurt much more often than I do. I actually felt more relaxed knowing she had it.

I started walking again as I chalked it up to just finally trusting her enough, and laughed at myself for completely overthinking it. I mean come on, it's just a Walkman, and it's just normal Katie.

No. It wasn't... I stopped walking again, this time I chose to stare at my shoes.

It was never just a Walkman, or just Katie.

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Hmm. I don't know how I feel about this chapter. Thoughts?
-Diana