nostalgiabomb: (136)
Peter Quill ([personal profile] nostalgiabomb) wrote in [community profile] riverviewlogs2018-08-24 07:35 pm

[ open; ] the city streets are empty now

who: Peter Quill & open!
what: Quill is coming back from a canon update, which includes four years and the events of Infinity War. So he's going to be a little off his game.
when: August 24th and onward
where: All around Riverview & a bit outside the walls
warnings: none, aside from Quill having a pretty rough time


i. the sun always shines on tv;

[ Peter wastes a couple days, sitting in his apartment, staring at a wall. He catches Mantis hovering around, sometimes, and occasionally, he tries to send her a small, reassuring smile. Something that says, It’s fine. I’m fine. I just need a second. Groot doesn’t fully understand why Peter is so— weird, but the kid still recognizes that there’s something wildly wrong. And as the days drag on, Groot just drags over the Zune while Peter stares, offering Peter an earbud.

It’s on the third day that Peter realizes he can’t just— do this. He can’t keep moping. Because Mantis and Groot are clearly worried, and— what if the others show up? Peter did, after all. And Mantis and Groot are still here, hale and whole. So maybe the others will arrive, too. Any day now. And if they find out how completely useless he was while he waited, he’d never hear the end of it.

So he scrubs his face and announces that he’s going to take Groot to the beach.

Of course, about ten minutes after they arrive at the banks of the river for a day of fun in the sun, or whatever the hell Peter’s calling it, Groot immediately wanders away, slipping through the legs of the various beachgoers as he chases down one of those alien sugargliders.

Predictably, Peter panics as he works to shove past the crowd. ]


Groot—

Groot, get back here!



ii. new york groove;

[ A day or two later, Peter’s back at work. Unwise, considering he’s still injured, but the four walls of his apartment were quickly becoming suffocating.

His job with the Perimeter Guard, such as it is, is to scout the area, to map it out, to uncover valuable goods buried in the dirt or left abandoned in reasonable condition, and most days, he’s good at it. He’s agile and clever and does one hell of a job avoiding the monsters that lurk in the abandoned areas.

But today, he seems to be attracting trouble – though truthfully, he’s seeking it out, though he’s unconscious of it. Rather than veer out of the angry looking creatures’ way, he stumbles headlong into them. And for a while, he’s forging a decent path, shooting out huge, burning chunks of them and leaving the corpses to rot in the woods.

And then he’s not.

Peter never played Dungeons & Dragons as a kid, but if he did, he’d instantly recognize a Bulette when he sees one.

Or more accurately, he’d recognize a Bulette as it’s leaping at him, all gnashing teeth and sharp claws and hard armored plates. Peter manages to dodge out of the way, but only barely, and he goes tumbling and rolling across the jungle floor.

Little help? ]




iii. yesterday once more;

[ Peter was in the middle of wandering the aisles of Blu-Rays and DVDs in some electronic goods stores. In his arms is a stack of movies, old favorites and new ones he had picked out based solely on how interesting he found the covers.

The criteria for his current selections: Would the other Guardians like these? So far, he has picked out The Wizard of Oz for Groot and The Dark Crystal for Mantis. Along the way, he picks up Predator for Rocket and Rambo for Drax, because, well, they're going to be here eventually, right? And the films would be decent ice breakers, once they arrive

And he was in the middle of reluctantly looking for something for Nebula (would she have a good enough sense of humor about it if he picked up Robocop, or would she just threaten to sew his face to his balls like she usually does?), except right now, he's frozen in front of a shelf, completely zoned out while he faces a copy of Footloose.

Sorry if he's in your way, fellow patron. ]




iv. turn to stone;

[ It's been over a week since he's been back, and Peter's out on a very, very late night grocery run. He's been putting off getting them various odds and ends – paper towels, boxes of cereal, various snacks – and apparently he's decided tonight's the night—

(because the bed is too empty, and the atmosphere in the apartment is too fucking heavy, and Groot and Mantis are so fucking sad, and he can't stay in there, he really can't, not a single minute more, because shouldn't the other Guardians have been here by now? Shouldn't Gamora have come back with him, since they left together?

Why isn't she here?)

—because he's trying to be productive.

He's also decided, apparently, that baskets and carts are completely unnecessary. So here he is now, a former thief turned Guardian of the Galaxy, juggling his items in his arms as he stands in the refrigerated dairy section. He shuffles things around and reaches for a jug.

And fumbles it.

The plastic bursts open as the jug lands, milk splashing across the floor. It pools around his boots, and for a second, he just stares at it all before he lets out a helpless laugh, scrubbing his face.

One might think that life in space would have erased Peter's love of Terran idioms, but it hasn't, really. He used them whenever he could. Phrases like "killing two birds with one stone," or "letting the cat out of the bag," or going the "whole nine yards" were pretty common from him as he grew up on the Ravager ship.

There's another Terran saying that Peter uses sometimes: Don't cry over spilled milk.

Guess who's trying desperately not to do just that? ]
madeupnames: <user name=bushyeyebrows> (pic#12294742)

[personal profile] madeupnames 2018-08-30 09:44 am (UTC)(link)
No, not that —

[His arms fold over his chest. He might as well be on a stage, talking to a sea of people, for all the nerves he's feeling right now. Despite this, he's looking at Quill like he has two heads, fully convinced of what he's saying, like it's the easiest math equation there is. Because it's obvious, isn't it? C'mon.]

Why would you want anything to do with me after this mess? This whole thing is on me. [Honestly, he expected Quill to just leave him in the forest, after he admitted what he did — or didn't do, in this case. Hell, he expected a very fair response of radio silence, like he'd done to them. So he sucks in a breath, feeling sick, and says (very nearly recites):] If you have the power to stop something bad from happening, and you don't? It happened because of you.

So who cares about the clock? When she comes back, she shouldn't want anything to do with me, either.

Edited 2018-08-30 09:59 (UTC)
madeupnames: (pic#12408047)

[personal profile] madeupnames 2018-08-30 08:09 pm (UTC)(link)
[But it kind of is his fault?

Which is all moot, as his head completely blanks when Quill stands up and says that — and he holds out a placating hand the moment the guy seems like he wants to bolt, looking a little worried. Stupid him, digging back into awful shit he swore he'd let go today. He was supposed to bring him here to help him relax and ice up for five seconds-]


Nooonono, rest, dude. Seriously, it's fine. Sorry, I'll — It's dropped!

[Think, Peter, think.]

Wait. How about a compromise? You rest here for a few hours, and I'll sleep for a few.

Um. Binding contract, and all.

[The couch is perfectly nice for naps, he can totally nap, cool.]
madeupnames: <user name=bushyeyebrows> (pic#12281103)

[personal profile] madeupnames 2018-08-30 11:22 pm (UTC)(link)
... Then hang out on the couch or whatever. I'll nap on the mattress.

[He motions to the couch, where there's a little sign on the third cushion down that says "CAREFUL, THIS CUSHION SINKS!" There's also what is clearly the doodles of a bored pre-schooler on the other side of the couch — weird round blobs with arms that are probably mom, dad, and annoying baby brother. It's definitely a well-lived place... And probably in need of a scrub.

But the couch isn't too bad.]


C'mon, dude, you're really gonna make that whole walk back when I've got perfectly good ice packs and a couch? And just FYI, you could probably use the shower or sink to wash yourself off anyway, considering you look like a horror movie killer right now.

[You kinda have... blood... and gross bits... going on...

Y'know, from when you punched through a monster's spine.

He wasn't gonna comment or anything, but.

Yeah, he was.]
Edited 2018-08-30 23:23 (UTC)
madeupnames: (pic#12395346)

[personal profile] madeupnames 2018-08-31 11:36 pm (UTC)(link)
[Peter nods, expression soft.]

There's towels and stuff in a box in there, if you'd like. I'll just be out here, uh. Hanging out.

[But something sits poorly with him, and he's not sure if it's the right choice or not, but he reaches out and tugs on Quill's sleeve before he can fully vanish into the bathroom, if that's his want.]

B — Mr. Quill?

Um.

I know what it's like for people to suddenly not... be around when you expect them.

... You don't have to keep anything together around me, is all I wanna say. Just, like.

I get it.

[He remembers how completely destroyed the apartment was, after Ben died. It hasn't even been a year back home — but it's better now. He still can barely talk about him. But. At least he doesn't have to stop himself from calling out to him in the kitchen. He knows, now, that he'll never be there.

... He just hopes it's different, for Gamora.]


... I'm gonna... um, I'll be here. Don't forget to ice those.

[He points at Quill's ribs and then flops down on the half-busted couch, almost comically, aborting the situation so he's not dragging out a sensitive moment.]
Edited 2018-08-31 23:38 (UTC)
madeupnames: (pic#12397085)

[personal profile] madeupnames 2018-09-01 12:04 am (UTC)(link)
[He glances over his shoulder, head cushioned on one arm.

Swallows once, as he considers what may or may not be an olive branch. If there was even any need for one. As far as Peter thinks, it's a courtesy offered regardless. And he looks a little thankful about that, because it's hard to feel like he's getting anything right lately.]


... I guess I'm just too cool for nicknames now, Big Pete, sorry.

[Heh.

He flops to sleep toward the backrest.]


Now hurry up, 'cus you're super gross.

[Medkit's in the backpack, you know the drill. Just don't snoop, he's got Top Secret Documents next to it, marked mysteriously as PETER'S RIVERVIEW TO DO LIST. Fucking nerd. Judging by the light snoring, he's at least keeping his pinky promise and is out cold.]
Edited (omfg i cant grammar good at all right when now what) 2018-09-01 00:05 (UTC)
madeupnames: (pic#12530582)

[personal profile] madeupnames 2018-09-01 01:07 am (UTC)(link)
[As he opens the front door:]

... Make sure y'least ice those at home.

[IT'S A FUCKING TRAP—

No, it's not, but Peter peels one exhausted eye open to look skeptically at Big Pete from the couch.

His voice is a drawl, all stuffy with sleep.]


... Spider senses, y'know...

[And then he konks out again, just as quickly as he'd awoken.

Spider Mutant teenagers, am I right?]