It starts off so subtly that Gamora doesn't even register it. She doesn't feel like family to them the way she does Nebula, but the job they took went off with only a few hitches. That was near perfect in their book. She's shopping with her share when she picks up a food item she's never seen before. The vendor warns her that only a small number of species can consume it, but Gamora has to have it. It isn't until later when Groot is swearing to stay off video games for the rest of the day in exchange for it that Gamora realizes who it could be for. She chalks it up to an excellent guess on her part. The video games always make him moody. While he's never disrespectful to her, the way he talks to Peter does bother Gamora though she is loathe to admit it.
She starts to feel disturbed when Groot's language starts becoming rapidly understandable. She's no fool, but she finds herself carrying conversations with him much too quickly for comfort. They hurt terribly each time. She is starting to recognize from his tone alone how much he misses his mother. It makes her feel like a thief every time he gets excited over even the tiniest bit of praise or concern. She's taking a dead woman's love. It happens so naturally that the guilt only sets in after they've parted ways.
There are smaller instances with the others. She finishes a story Drax told endlessly during their initial travels, but never to this Gamora. She touches Rocket's shoulder when he's going on a tangent to a stranger. He looks at her like she's a ghost come to haunt him. Another day she pushes forward some spices to make noodles the way Mantis likes them as a reward. She cannot for the life of her even remember seeing Mantis eat noodles, but surely she must have at some point.
It's with Peter that things start to get scary. She starts by tapping her feet subtly before her other self's favorite songs come on. It's so small that she can rationalize it. They are growing on her, that's all. There's no explaining singing "Jolene" while cleaning the ship together. Peter never sang this to her and more importantly, Gamora didn't even realize she had been singing until he stared at her with those bright eyes of his. The words play back in her mind. The voice, while hers, is totally alien. It comes from someone lighter; happier. Content to do something as simple as clean the ship rather than accepting responsibility because the others made themselves scarce.
Her throat closes up. Gamora cannot get back to her quarters fast enough. She shuts the door behind her and struggles to force air down into her lungs. Gamora will rationalize this away too in order to protect herself. Her mind hasn't gotten that far ahead yet.
no subject
She starts to feel disturbed when Groot's language starts becoming rapidly understandable. She's no fool, but she finds herself carrying conversations with him much too quickly for comfort. They hurt terribly each time. She is starting to recognize from his tone alone how much he misses his mother. It makes her feel like a thief every time he gets excited over even the tiniest bit of praise or concern. She's taking a dead woman's love. It happens so naturally that the guilt only sets in after they've parted ways.
There are smaller instances with the others. She finishes a story Drax told endlessly during their initial travels, but never to this Gamora. She touches Rocket's shoulder when he's going on a tangent to a stranger. He looks at her like she's a ghost come to haunt him. Another day she pushes forward some spices to make noodles the way Mantis likes them as a reward. She cannot for the life of her even remember seeing Mantis eat noodles, but surely she must have at some point.
It's with Peter that things start to get scary. She starts by tapping her feet subtly before her other self's favorite songs come on. It's so small that she can rationalize it. They are growing on her, that's all. There's no explaining singing "Jolene" while cleaning the ship together. Peter never sang this to her and more importantly, Gamora didn't even realize she had been singing until he stared at her with those bright eyes of his. The words play back in her mind. The voice, while hers, is totally alien. It comes from someone lighter; happier. Content to do something as simple as clean the ship rather than accepting responsibility because the others made themselves scarce.
Her throat closes up. Gamora cannot get back to her quarters fast enough. She shuts the door behind her and struggles to force air down into her lungs. Gamora will rationalize this away too in order to protect herself. Her mind hasn't gotten that far ahead yet.