It all started when Nebula once again decided the best way to escape a situation was to cut off a limb.

Sure, being almost entirely re-pieced together meant that her parts are almost entirely replaceable, but it still hurt like hell and was annoying to go without an intact body.

Which led to her slamming open the doors of a rundown repair shop on a junker planet after the mission was finished, grabbing the startled mechanic by the collar and slamming her (partial) arm down on the table in front of them.

“Fix me. Now.” Nebula thought of how Gamora would scold her to ‘be nicer’ now that she was part of the ‘Guardians’ and quietly mumbled while looking to her left a “Please…”

---

Nebula was a little surprised when the person working on her arm actually tried to initiate small talk with her. Are they too stupid to know who she is, and her reputation?

Nonetheless, they worked correctly, not as if they were stalling for time even. But it didn’t mean they worked quietly.

“So…do you lose limbs often?”

Nebula cocked her head slightly, still deciding if they were going to try something. “Occasionally.”

They nodded, checking the movement of her new wrist. “Like in battles or just chop-it-off-for-fun kinda things?”

“Both.”

---

Nebula wandering off for hours at a time on random pit stop planets wasn’t unusual, no one had the nerve to ask where she was going or wanted to be stuck tagging along so they would just wait until she came back or Gamora found her.

What was unusual was Nebula coming back to the ship with some stranger trailing behind her like a lost puppy. Not even in handcuffs or a chokehold this time.

“Found a new friend?” Peter was the first to speak up, everyone else was just watching their new visitor who had a bag over their shoulder and was smiling at Nebula.

Smiling at Nebula. Cross hostage theory off the list.

“This mechanic repaired my arm and will come with us.”

Which Gamora entered just in time to hear her sister’s statement.

“Nebula, we don’t just kidnap people for recreational reasons.” she tried to reason.

Rocket on the other hand was offended and pissed about newcomer “I’m the mechanic here. Don’t need no one else messin’ around my ship.”

“It’s not your ship!” Peter ‘reminded him’, ready for the argument again.

Nebula glared at him, slamming her fist onto the table causing trash to fall off

 "I do not care about your ship, you don’t know how to correctly repair me. This one" She pointed to you “will.”

She turned to leave the room, you waved to the team quickly before following her out.

 

Nebula was sat against the wall in her quarters of the ship, you cross leg beside her and a pile of tools strewed about.

“I don’t need you here.” It wasn’t a big repair, just some maintenance she could easily manage on her own.

“I know.” You didn’t even look up while tweaking the wires in Nebula’s leg.

“There are many other mechanics throughout the galaxy who could do any necessary repairs.”

“I know.” You aren’t fazed nor really acknowledging her brash comments anymore.

“You aren’t even paid for your services. Why do you insist on joining us.”

“It’s fun, I get to travel, being around you, there’re perks.”

She scoffs

Grabbing another tool, you roll your eyes at her and continue to work.
“When an ex intergalactic assassin breaks into your shop and demands you do something, it’s in your best interest to do it. It is probably not in your best interest to follow the intergalactic assassin to her ship and leave the planet-”

“So you admit you are a fool.” She interrupts.

“Oh ha ha. But that logic doesn’t factor in what to do when the assassin is super badass, and hot, and a really pretty shade of blue, or that-”

She muffles your next words with her hand, and would almost certainly be blushing if it was possible. “Enough. You sound like Quill rambling.”

You push her arm away from your face. “Well, he does seem to have luck with gorgeous beings so if it works.”

“Do you ever realize how insufferable you can be?” She watched you closely, noting how your lips quirked.

“Yeah, but you still keep me around don’t you?” The irritating smirk graced your face again, that one that made her want to…she wasn’t sure but it was aggravating.

Nebula clenched her jaw, turning her gaze away from you. “Because you are more tolerable then the rest of the idiots on this ship.”

You closed the panel on her leg, laughing lightly "Well I’m glad you think that, and will also be glad if you don’t murder me and toss me out the air chamber for this.“

Nebula would like to say you didn’t catch her off guard, that she was too well trained for that, but it was entirely untrue as she had began to unconsciously relax just the slightest when it was only you and her together.

Swiftly, you turned her head slightly to look at you, leaning in to press a quick yet tender kiss to her lips before letting go and leaned back to your original position near her leg.

You were almost worried she had actually short circuited with how long she was still before turning to you, an unreadable expression on her face. "What was that.”

Still unable to tell what she thought of it.

“Affection?” You offered.

“Disgusting.” she mutters “Do it again.” black eyes staring intensely at you.

You can’t help but grin, giving a fist pump and small cheer, moving closer to a side and pressing your lips to her cheek. “Any time you want darling!”