32 The Eyes
The auxiliary chapter has been changed
---------------------
Rocket P.O.V
Today many things happened all at once.
If we divide my day in two, then the first part was horrible, and I hoped it wasn't true. While the second part, I hoped it wasn't just a dream.
The High Evolutionary had been lying all along, and I almost lost my friends today.
But in return, I think I found a new home.
Home was in those eyes, so caring, so patient.
As the day went on, I noticed it wasn't just that man's eyes, the 'wives' around him also looked at me like that and at my friends, especially at me, but I didn't understand why.
"Rocket, there's something I want to tell you." The man said, looking at me.
"Hum..." I murmured softly and looked at him anxiously.
'Please don't send us away! Please don't send us away!' Those were my only thoughts.
Looking out of the corner of my eye at my friends, I think they're as nervous as I am. Floor was trembling. Lylla tried to stay calm, but I saw anxiety in her eyes.
"Well, actually, I feel a special connection with you, Rocket. I have this knowledge of the future, and I can draw certain conclusions. Besides how pitiful you are, I really think you're amazing, and I feel a strong affinity with you." He said, looking at me seriously.
"Huh?!" I couldn't help but exclaim in surprise. It doesn't seem like he's kicking us out. In fact, he's praising me?
"Well, it might be a bit abrupt, but it's better to say it straight away. Rocket, would you like to be adopted as my son? Not just because you're cute, pitiful, and a genius, but I really feel an affinity with you." He said, looking at me.
I widened my eyes, startled by his words. I never expected this.
My mind was a mess, but he didn't even let me think properly and continued.
"Look, Rocket, I can't judge you by your future self, because you haven't been through that. But I can still draw certain conclusions." He said as he stood up, knelt beside me, and placed a hand on my shoulder.
"You're strong, even with extreme pain, you fought and survived. Even when the world dealt you a bad hand, you still saved it and saved countless people. And no matter how bad your mouth was, you value more than your life those you call friends and family. I just want you to give me a chance, a chance to give you a happy life and family that you deserve." He said all of that in one breath.
My heart stopped at that moment. I've never felt so cared for, trusted, and loved. It was a warmth different from what being with my friends Lylla, Floor, and Teefs gave me. It was something I could only put into one word...
Family.
"Rocket, what do you think? I'm sorry, I'm being a bit abrupt. You don't even know me well. I just hope you'll think..." He continued, but in my excitement, I interrupted him.
"I-I WANT TO!" I said with a jump, but then I realized I was abrupt.
I then explained softly, almost inaudibly, "I also felt an affinity with you, and I feel comfortable and safe. I would like to be your son..."
He smiled upon hearing that and pulled me into a hug.
"From now on, your name will be Rocket Raccoon Stark. When you're ready, call me Daddy." He kissed the top of my head with a smile.
Him doing that gave me a different feeling, but a good different feeling.
'I think I'll get used to this.' I thought with a smile on my lips as I buried myself in my new father's embrace.
...
...
...
[Images to heal the soul here]
...
Tony Stark P.O.V
A month had passed since I rescued Rocket and the other three.
At this moment, Rocket and I were in the workshop, working.
"What are we going to do, Dad?" Rocket asked from my arms.
It's been a month since we've been together, and he calls me that naturally now, but it never fails to put a happy smile on my face. So cute!
"Well, you and Lylla are doing fine, but Teefs and Floor have trouble doing many things on their own, so we've come to work on a solution today." I smiled at him.
Knowing that we're here to help his friends made his eyes sparkle.
Officially, I adopted Rocket, but I'm taking care of the other three kids with equal amounts of affection... okay, I have difficulty being affectionate with Teefs due to his size and appearance, so the main reason we're here today is for him. But I can't say that out loud to avoid making the little ones sad.
"This is one of my back-burner projects, but since it didn't have much utility, I put it off. I have a lot to work on, so it sat on hold until today." I explained and looked at Rocket, who was listening attentively.
"Jarvis, bring the Skrull cells and blood we collected." I ordered as I took Rocket out of my arms and sat him on the workbench.
[Oh! You still remember that. I was wondering if I should throw it away.] Jarvis replied sarcastically.
"Uh... was he really going to throw it away?" Rocket looked at me confused.
I smiled and ruffled the fur on his head, "Nah! He's just kidding. It gets a bit lonely working alone, so I made Jarvis to be both my work companion and my friend." I said to him with a smile.
[Young master, don't worry.] Jarvis confirmed as well.
"Ugh, Jarvis, I feel like you're cursing my son by calling him that." I said with my eye twitching.
[Please, stop reading Chinese fantasy novels, sir.] Jarvis advised me with a strange tone.
I shook my head playfully and looked at Rocket, who was looking at me perplexed.
"Jarvis, show Rocket and me the information you've collected." I ordered.
Instantly, a lot of data and schematics appeared in holograms in front of us.
[Affirmative, sir. According to my analysis, Skrull bodies are not based on carbon like humans but on a material not found on the periodic table. Among their most special intrinsic abilities, there is metamorphosis and reading recent memories...] Jarvis explained succinctly.
"But?" I asked what Jarvis was waiting for.
[Their metamorphosis is limited in size, unable to increase or decrease their body mass drastically; Their DNA also cannot copy special abilities; And finally, their transformations require a certain amount of stamina to be maintained.] Jarvis said.
I looked at Rocket, who was looking at me with bright eyes and smiled.
"Can you predict our goal, kid?" I asked, smiling.
"Uhm! Adapt this Skrull DNA for us to use and change Floor and Teefs' body shape?" He asked me with puppy-dog eyes.
"Exactly! But since we'll be at it, we won't do a half-hearted job. We should eliminate their weaknesses. Actually, it's more about adapting the weaknesses to our benefit, but you'll see." I said and began manipulating the holograms.
"The Extremis developed by me solves the stamina problem, as it can keep our bodies in a state of perfection unless we don't want that. As for the size, I have two solutions that can be used together. The first is the Pym particles..." I then explained the Pym particles to Rocket.
"Wow! Amazing! Did you create these particles, Dad?" Rocket asked.
"No!" I looked at Rocket with a serious face, and he started getting anxious with my serious look. Then I smiled, "I stole them."
Rocket widened his eyes at me in shock.
"Pffff! Hahaha!" He then laughed and burst into laughter.
"Haha! Dad is Amazing!" He only stopped laughing for a moment to say that to me with bright eyes.
I just smiled and continued manipulating the hologram.
That way, we spent a month working on the Skrull DNA.
...
Omniscient Narrator's 'P.O.V.'
Amidst the voids of the universes, an ancient and wise voice echoed across realities.
"At first, I scoured eternity for one true hero. And finally, I believe I found the one! A hero unlike anything I've ever seen before." The voice said with joy.
Bright eyes like headlights looked from the void at Tony and Rocket, who were playing and smiling while applying the newly developed Skrull serum to themselves.
But then its voice was filled with concern, "But in this time of distress, I can only risk losing this hero and this story because he is my only hope of not losing all the others."
The voice then spoke its final sentence as its voice echoed through the universe.
"The Multiverse, every single world, every story is my home, and I will protect it to the end."
"I am the Watcher."
