InsaneJournal

Who: Peter Quill and Scott Lang
What: "My girlfriend is better than your girlfriend"
When: July 2nd (backdated)
Rating/Warnings: Green




Peter really needed to get a job. Since coming to Earth, he'd accomplished two things:

1. Jack shit.
2. Fuck all.

It was kinda depressing.

Looking for a job was impossible with zero work history, and apparently space pirate was not an actual career in New York, which was a pile of crap.

So he killed his time eating, pissing off Rocket, and wandering around the City, capital C. Sometimes, like today, he went to walk Gamora home....even if it was an hour early. To be honest, he could only talk to Drax and Mantis for so long.

Loitering seemed to be a more enjoyable task.

While Scott hadn't exactly been the most enthusiastic about Hope working for Tony Stark, she was her own woman, and he would support her in whatever she wanted to do in her research. There were big things going on these days--space people, odd dreams that only he, Hope and a couple of other people hadn't yet experienced. He'd tried to reach out but the other Avengers had gone quiet, save for Stark and Strange.

Like always, Lang would be there to help and offer ideas. Even if they were being met with optimal pessimism and enough inspiration to want to stick his head in a dryer. He couldn't know what they were going through so eventually he stopped trying.

Cap would know where to find him if they needed him, and so would everyone else. Scott had to stay positive, for Hope, for Cassie, and everyone else. Since they wanted to work with the rigorous intent on failing. He'd finished working on some engineering for his side work before texting Hope that he'd walk her home. Their new apartment was conveniently located between their favorite tea spot and her work, so she could decompress with the walk and they could have a nice cup before retiring for the night. As he waited in the lot he spotted a man he hadn't seen before. He seemed to be lost in thought, not very happy. Like everyone else. "Hey man, you alright? You look a little lost."

Peter looked up quickly at the man in front of him and sized him up in a matter of seconds. Nice hair (Peter's was better), solid bod, probably knew karate, and was definitely dressed by his girlfriend. Yup, he was better than this dude. Unless this guy knew how to play an instrument. Peter had never figured that one out (and obviously whistling was verboten growing up). Then maybe the scales weren't so obviously on Peter's side.

"Nah, I'm exactly where I want to be, but the concern is noted." With his coffee mug in one hand, he pointed to the building. "My girl works in there, so I'm here to pick her up." He took what he hoped was an ultra-casual, super laid-back sip of his scalding coffee.

It was very hard to pretend he hadn't burnt his tongue suddenly. "You?"


If anyone thought Hope had dressed Scott, and told her, they may have seen a look more scalding than the coffee Peter was drinking. Jeans, sneakers, a t-shirt and flannel were pretty much code for 'i work at home on computers'. But Scott watched the other guy eye him warily. As if he had something to be concerned about?

"Uh, same, actually." That was a really strange coincidence. But maybe those things didn't really exist anymore. All these super special people in one super special place. "She's doing research on the Quantum realm. Well she was until all the crazy impending doom stuff started to happen." Then they were looking for something they hadn't even seen. Searching for answers to a problem they didn't know the equation to, with little to help guide them.

But, positive! Offering a small smile and his hand, Lang introduced himself. "Good to meet you, I'm Scott." You never knew who was a friend of a friend.

Taking the hand, Peter shook it with what he hoped was a strong and confident manner. "Starlord, but I've been told I need to stop introducing myself like that, so Peter Quill. Have no idea what quantum means, but I definitely gotcha on that whole crazy doom thing." In fact, if this guy's girlfriend worked for Stark, then maybe they were all on the same side? If there were sides? He really had no clue these days.

"My girlfriend is Stark's security," Peter offered. "She can basically kill anyone with anything. No joke. I saw her eviscerate a man with a paperclip once." He looked off wistfully. "She's the best."

"Star...Lord? Wow. Everyone has some pretty cool names here." And Hank had to settle on 'Ant Man'. Even if it did make the most sense, and originally, no one was supposed to know about him anyways. But Scott didn't really care that much. He knew what he was capable of and contributing to his friends. That's what mattered. The addition of space-like allies was only all the more intriguing. They had paperclips in space? "Peter it is then."

Scott watched the way Peter describe his girlfriend similarly to a lovesick puppy. He'd never heard anyone dreamily describe their feelings about how someone murdered before but..well..he would be lying if he didn't say that Hope's fierceness and ability to knock down anyone who stood in her way wasn't an attractive feature. "Something tells me they'd get along pretty well. Hope is pretty intense when it comes to fighting too--it's not my favorite, and she doesn't kill people...I don't..think..unless we have to." Maybe Peter's girlfriend and Hope could spar and save him a few bruises.

"Gamora kills people." Peter nodded enthusiastically. "But glad to hear Hope keeps you on your toes too. I think, in every relationship, there should be healthy fear of death." This was true for one-night stands and friends with benefits, friendships.... actually, now that Peter thought about it, he hadn't known a single person who wouldn't kill him in his sleep. Except his mother obviously . And maybe Mantis. She'd kill him accidently and then cry about it.

Scott didn't like to put labels on people or make assumptions, but this guy was definitely eccentric . He stared blankly at Peter, blinking slowly as he tried to formulate a response. "I..guess. If that's your thing?" No judging Scott. Everyone was entitled to their kinks?
He was almost 89% sure that Hope would not kill him. Outside of jest, he trusted her and there were few people in this world that you could trust, especially for a guy who liked to try to see the good in everyone and avoid violence if he needed to.

Peter had already moved on, completely oblivious to Scott's reaction. "So what do you do? I am a space pirate, but since apparently that's not a profession here, I'm an unemployable loafer." There was a serious nod accompanying that statement. "You'd think I could find work, but you're wrong. I tried at McDonald's, but they didn't see the need for me to carry a gun." He paused. "Or why I kept trying to talk to the fryer. The lack of automated tech on this planet is really disturbing."

"Aw, man, I know how you feel." Well. Maybe not about being a space pirate, but the unemployment thing was really a pain in the ass. "I'm an Avenger but as far as work goes, I'm an electrical engineer. I spent some time in jail for giving back money the company I used to work for had stolen, did some jail time, so now it's really hard for me to get work. But if I work as an independant contractor, people always need what I got my Masters for. Thankfully. Especially if it's under the table work."

Which probably wasn't as clean as Scott would have liked it to be, but beggars can't be choosers. "Well the tech here isn't as advanced, but a big guy like you could probably easily get some work doing labor. They don't really care about papers much or do a whole lot of taxing. The work might not be fun or require guns, but it is work."

The spaceman wrinkled his nose. Construction, boo. He probably could do it, but everything was so frickin' primitive here. "I guess. I didn't think about the jail thing being an impediment either. I've escaped from quite a few in my day." There was that boasting (or as Gamora called it "posturing" again). "I dunno, right now, I guess I'm just catching up on TV, eating junk and walking my girlfriend back and forth to work." He shrugged. "It's boring, definitely, but I don't want to be security. Or labour." And then he thought about it some more. "But it would be good exercise...damnit, I'm going to be a grunt, aren't I?"
“It sounds like you don’t want to do anything and well, no one cane make you do anything until you decide.” Scott shrugged casually. Not everyone always knew what they wanted to do right away. Sometimes it just took time. “At first I thought I wanted to be a psychology major but then realized I didn’t want to hear people’s problems all the time. I wanted to fix things, so went with engineering instead.”

And eventually got to be a super hero so he got the best of both worlds. Not to mention, a really great daughter.

“Maybe just try things until you find something you like. Or figure out what makes you happy and see if there’s a job that attributes to it. They always say, the best work is not work at all.”

"Yeah..." Peter didn't have a smart ass answer for once. To be honest, he knew he was at a loss. Considering he'd never expected to come back to earth well, ever... he hasdn't exactly prepared for this.

"For now, I'll just keep being me and awesome."