A price to pay

Same shit, different day.

Yondu was listening to Tulk yapping about some big score on a Xandarian outpost. His mind kept wondering off to the stupid little Terran that rocked his world. What happened earlier today was a fuckup of epic proportions. Why did she follow them, why not just run? She was such a moron. Or brave... He hadn't decided which it was. How could one creature be so delightful, yet so idiotic. He was torn between a blinding rage and the need to hold her in his arms forever. Would she be awake by now, he got some explaining to do, she's gonna..."
"Hey Cap!" Tulk interrupted his internal fight. "That precious Xandarian cargo ain't gonna steal itself. If we want it, we need to move now!"
Yondu shook his head. He had this gut feeling something was off. Tulk had ideas like this before, but this one was especially reckless, even for Tulk. It was almost impossible.
"Tulk, are you drunker as usual?" He growled. "Cause I know you like a challenge, boy. But this is just a waste of my ti..." His eyes widened suddenly and he was up and out his chair in the blink of an eye, grabbing a surprised Tulk by his shirt.
"Where's Kraglin!?!" He hissed only inches away from Tulks face. The other ravager kept his mouth shut, so Yondu whistled his pointy friend in the air. The arrow twirled around it's axis, directed at the thick, pulsing vein in Tulks neck.
"I won't ask again, boy." He told Tulk, who got nervous seeing the Yaka arrow flash in the dark room.
"Okay, okay! I'll tell ya! Just get that damn arrow outta mah face, cap!"
Yondu whistled the arrow back in his belt, and let go of Tulks jacket.
"Kraglin asked me to keep ya busy for an hour." He spoke while straightening his jacket. "Something to do with yer Terran toy."
Yondu's eyes flared up with rage and Tulk put a step back with his hands in the air. "That's all I know, Yondu, I swear!"
Yondu pushed Tulk to the side and started making his way to the front of the Eclector.
When he arrived at his room he was running, and little beads of sweat pearled on his forehead. He crashed into the room, almost ripping the door of it's hinges.
It was empty. He turned around and walked to the control room at the end of the hallway.
"Kraglin, where you at, boy?!" He rumbled while barging in.
Kraglin was sitting in his chair, with his feet up the control panel, a sad but determined look on his face.
Yondu looked around the room, besides Kraglin it was empty. He stepped towards Kraglin, pointing his finger at him.
"You!" He growled. Kraglin swallowed hard, sitting up straight.
"Where is she!?" His voice was like the rolling thunder.
Kraglin looked at Yondu and took a deep breath before answering.
"She's gone, Cap... And she ain't coming back."
Yondu grabbed him by his collar and pulled his whole weight up out of the chair. Their noses almost touched.
"Where. Is. She."
Kraglin didn't answer, and Yondu was tempted for a brief moment to use his arrow as leverage. Instead he slammed Kraglin back into his chair and took a step back to drop into the seat next to it. He rubbed his temple with one hand and let out an irritated sigh. "I know you're trying to help, Krags. But this ain't the way to do it." Yondu spoke calm and collected.
"She nee..."
"She's gonna get you killed, Yondu!" Kraglin interrupted him.
"If the others knew how you felt about 'er, you would be in a world of troubles! Ya can't have that, Yondu. I won't let it happen!" He paused for a moment.
"I'm not telling you where she is, and if that means you'll throw me out or....worse... Then so be it, ...brother." Kraglin stood up, looked Yondu in the eye and left.
Yondu knew it had no use trying to make him talk. He's seen that look before and Kraglin would die before telling him. He was loyal to a degree that all he did was for his captain, his brother, wether Yondu liked it or not. He leaned back in his chair and took a deep breath. He knew Kraglin was right. If he went and got his kitten back, life as he knew it would be over.  He thought about the last time he saw her, all the questions, all the anger... this was probably for the best, she wanted to leave him anyway.
He just sat there for a few hours, drinking from a half empty bottle of liquor Kraglin left behind. Staring through the massive window into space, remembering all those nights he watched her sleep. He felt losing her deep in his core and he didn't like it one bit. Every time a memory popped up, he chugged some more of the booze, untill after a while he didn't feel the sadness, but he did feel the anger. It builds in him like a roaring fire. His whole life people left him, this was just the same shit on a different day.
He finished the bottle and in a fit of rage smashed it on the arm of his chair, not even flinching when a chard of glass cut open the side of his hand.
"Should've left 'er on Terra." He growled while he got up, and walked up to the com system.
"Kraglin, get your butt up here! Let's go steal some shit!" He roared into the speaker. "As for the rest of ya, git yer guns and get ready for a fight! Tonight we's gonna have some fun, boys!"