The Girl Who Held the Universe in her Hands | marvel [1] ✔

SIX

CHAPTER SIX
' I HAVEN'T GOT THAT MUCH OF A TEMPER . '

Ash laid on her back, legs propped up by the wall as she fiddled with a piece of a motor. Rocket sat a small distance away, reaching into a hole they'd made in Quill's ship and pulling out pieces of scrap. Her cassette rested between them as they worked, blaring out music.

Knocking me out with those American thighs, taking more than her share, had me fighting for air. She told me to come, but I was already there 'cause the walls start shaking, the Earth was quaking. My mind was aching, and we were making it.

Ash stretched her legs, waving a hand to summon a screwdriver, absentmindedly tapping her foot to the beat. "And you shook me all night long! Yeah, you shook me all night long! Working double time on the seduction-"

"-I recognise that song!" Quill burst into the room. "AC/DC, right?"

"Wait, you're from Earth?" Ash shifted, arching her back so she could see Quill from her position on the floor.

"I'm from Missouri!"

"I have no idea what that is."

"Woah!" Quill suddenly focused on Ash and Rocket. "What are you doing? You can't take apart my ship without asking me!" He stomped over, pointing at a circle-like object. "See, what is this?"

"Don't touch that," Ash warned, having gone back to her previous position. "It's a bomb."

"A bomb?" Quill repeated. "And you leave it lying around?"

"I told her to put it in a box," Rocket added.

"What's a box gonna do?"

He pulled out one. "How about this one?"

"No! Woah! Hey! Hey! Leave it alone!" Quill snatched it, and Ash shifted to sit up so she could watch the commotion.

"Why? What is it?"

"Shut up." As Quill went to turn away, he caught sight of another object they had made. "Hey! What is that?"

"That's for if things get really hardcore." Ash looked up at him. "Or if you wanna blow up moons."

He stared at her for a moment, glancing at Rocket before shaking his head. "No one's blowing up moons."

"Are you a prophet?" Ash challenged, tilting her head. "And anyway, I love blowing up moons."

"You just wanna suck the joy out of everything." Rocket agreed.

Quill turned to Gamora as she entered. "So, listen, I'm gonna need your buyer's coordinates."

"We're heading in the right direction, for now."

He sighed. "If we're gonna work together, you might want to try trusting me a little bit."

"You see, trusting isn't something that she does." Ash went back to tinkering, and her gaze remained on her project. "Plus, I doubt you're a guy to goes around trusting people willy-nilly either."

Quill took the orb out of Gamora's hand, glancing at Ash for a moment. "I'd trust you a lot more if you told me what this was because I'm guessing it's some kind of weapon."

Gamora looked at him for a moment before she shrugged. "I don't know what it is."

"If it's a weapon, we should use it against Ronan," Drax stated, appearing suddenly and taking it from Quill.

"Put it down!" Ash leapt to her feet. Her gaze flickered around the room for a moment. "We need to sell it before he gets his hands on it." She locked eyes with Gamora for a brief second.

"Or just you, murderess!" Drax shouted in retaliation.

"Oh, you wanna try this again, princess?" Ash whipped around, black mist forming in her palm as she pointed at Drax.

"I am not a princess!"

She pouted mockingly. "No, you're right. You're a king. Brainless, irrational and careless. Leave that orb alone, or I swear to a non-existent God, I will murder you right here, right now."

"Hey!" Quill jumped between them again. "Nobody is killing anybody on my ship! We're stuck together until we get the money."

Drax launched the orb at Ash, who caught it with her magic. "I have no interest in money."

She watched him leave with a glare. The orb settled on the table before she turned and hurled a ball of magic against one of the walls. Everyone flinched at the sudden movement, but the black mist created no damage and disintegrated when it made contact. Ash raised her eyebrow, a grin forming on her features. "You guys need to let loose a little. I haven't got that much of a temper." Her words caused the tension to relieve slightly.

"Great," Rocket added. "That means more money for the four of us."

Groot made a noise.

"For the five of us. Partners."

"We have an agreement, but I would never be partners with the likes of you." Gamora turned away. "I'll tell the buyer we're on our way. And Quill, your ship is filthy."

"Oh, she has no idea," he replied. "If I had a black light, the place would look like a Jackson Pollock painting."

"What does that mean?"

Rocket let out an exasperated sigh. "Kid, you don't wanna know."

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You Shook Me All Night Long - AC/DC