The memory of how it happened lingered inside Cheshire’s mind. There were aftersensations sticking around his hands which intertwined with Rocket’s; his mouth which was almost sore from the raccoon’s playful kisses and the parts where they shared each other the most. The memory remained like it was etched on stone despite Cheshire being drunk the whole time. It wasn’t like a dream that he could just forget seconds after waking up. He will carry it for the rest of his remaining days.

He still kept a lot of things from Rocket. The mystery wasn’t fully unveiled just as Rocket believes at the moment. What Rocket knew was but the pinnacle of an iceberg. He was still oblivious of what lies underneath. And Cheshire tended to keep it that way.

It hurt Cheshire massively when Rocket misunderstood the promise he wanted him to keep. And it had to happen when they just opened up to each other… when Rocket opened up, at least. It would be hypocritical of Cheshire to think he showed his true nature to Rocket when he’s hiding so many things from him.

And it was one of the reasons why he didn’t stop Rocket from leaving. Cheshire felt like he didn’t have the right to stop Rocket and he wouldn’t have been able to stop himself from blurting his plan of exploding to save everybody else. Perhaps falling in love with the raccoon was a bad idea after all. Rocket became Cheshire’s anchor to life.

***

Rocket sat on top of a tree branch somewhere beyond the rim of the small town. He pieced off a fruit which he got from the inn and nibbled on it bit by bit just to have a taste. The sun was at the top of the sky where its rays cast no shadow. Rocket enjoyed his seat shaded by a leafy oak and the wooden texture beneath him reminded him of Groot.

It’s only been a day—almost—since he arrived but time, no matter how short, knew how to make things sentimental.

He did his best to relax but he was bothered by the previous incident. He couldn’t shut his eyes much less keep his body still. He always tapped his finger, swung his foot and kept on shifting positions, trying to find the best comfortable spot on the branch but it was nonexistent… not while he didn’t have the slightest idea why Cheshire wanted to part with him all of the sudden.

It was true, what Rocket said, that Cheshire didn’t need to beautify his simple intent to part. What did Rocket expect? That someone would finally love him? In the end it was all about sex. And it was awful… pathetic. It made Rocket think how Peter found comfort in lying with different females. For him, sharing his self was more than for just the pleasure. It was getting to link his soul with another one—something he hadn’t even done with Lylla and they’ve been together far longer than him and Cheshire. They’ve only met twenty-four hours ago, less.

Perhaps that’s what bothered Rocket—the fact that he took something seriously only to get played back in the end. The cat was a seducer who had lain with multiple partners and even if what he said was true—that Rocket was the first one he gave himself to—there’s no guarantee that he would feel the same feeling Rocket has right now. He didn’t even stop Rocket when Rocket walked out. It was a good enough proof.

Rocket ran his hands down his face, heaving out a deep sigh with it. He slapped himself multiple times to try and cope with the incident. Why, if Peter Quill could do it, so can him. He was far better than Peter after all, or so he thinks.

He relaxed on the tree branch and laid his back on the horizontal platform. His arms and legs dangled below as he made up what he could of the sky covered by a curtain of leaves. Everything was calm—the breeze, the sounds and the forest. He thought he’d never be able to relax but peace was finally coming to him.

He placed his hands behind his head and closed his eyes, letting the sounds become his lullaby to forget the nonsense that happened earlier. The leaves rustled as the wind howled ever so gently and in the mix of sounds added a snapping twig.

Rocket’s ear perked to the direction where the sound came from and he opened one eye to scan the environment. Nothing seemed to be there but more sight of greens. He went back to relaxing when there sounded something that scurried to his direction. This time, he was sure that something was approaching.

He sat up and looked around him. He saw the figure of something white run behind from one tree to another.

“If you’re going to sneak up on me, do a better job,” Rocket yelled, “I already saw you.”

From the tree peeked out a goggled white rabbit. His nose twitched, as if trying to get a whiff of Rocket’s scent.

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“Who the hell are you?” Rocket asked and jumped off the tree.

The white rabbit revealed himself, jumping toward Rocket’s direction. He wore a tunic above his jumpsuit with alternating colors of red and white. His eyes were concealed by thick round goggles, nothing cybernetic—just plain. Before saying anything else, the white rabbit reached in his hand toward Rocket.

“Mctwisp,” he smiled, revealing his frontal buck teeth.

Rocket looked at Mctwisp’s gauntleted hand. It was the most peculiar technology he’s ever seen. Quite outdated and seemed to have run on steam. And without being sure of what the gauntlet actually did, Rocket played safe and didn’t touch it.

“Call me Rocket,” he said, “What do you want?”

Mctwisp withdrew his hand, patting invisible dust before chortling his way to conversation. “Ah, yes. I was just passing by when I saw a new face in Wonderland.”

“I’m not from here obviously,” Rocket said dryly, “And I ain’t gonna be here long.”

“What’s with the hurry?” the rabbit seemed to have no idea that Rocket knew what Wonderland really was. And Rocket took the opportunity to try and get the rabbit to spit out his true intent.

“I just need to get back up there,” Rocket leaned his back on the tree’s trunk.

The rabbit hopped closer, fiddling his weaponized hand with the other. “Discover the planet first before you leave,” Mctwisp chuckled, “Just so that your visit won’t be in vain.”

Rocket was sure that the white rabbit was up to no good. If he had his bazooka with him, he’d shoot the rabbit out of sight but as of the moment, between the two of them, only the rabbit had a weapon. And he couldn’t risk his safety. He has to play it cool.

“What’s so good about this planet anyway?” Rocket asked, keeping himself calm.

“Oh a lot of things,” Mctwisp said.

Rocket swallowed. The rabbit was definitely trying to lure him.

“I could show you if you would come with me,” the rabbit offered his hand to Rocket once again.

Rocket stood up straight and pretended to reach for the rabbit’s hand before he turned away in surprise and headed towards the city.

“I tried to be polite,” the rabbit said and aimed his weapon at Rocket. With one fire, a ball of electricity homed for Rocket, electrocuting the raccoon the soonest it made contact.

Rocket stumbled on the ground, paralyzed. Slowly, his vision began to blur.

***

He was now trapped behind the rusty bars of a cage. He was in a dark place illuminated dimly by some luminescent mushrooms growing in bunches at specific locations. There was a spark not so far away like someone was welding iron. And a few moments later, the same white rabbit approached Rocket.

“You’re awake, I see,” he adjusted his goggles tighter against his face, “Though you would wish that you’d wake up earlier or never at all.”

“What the hell?” Rocket got up and fought the intense throbbing on his head. “What do you want from me?”

Mctwisp hopped in the dark and came back to the light pushing a wheelchair with straps. “All of you.” he said and reached in for a metallic rod Rocket could only guess was an electrocuting device.

“You’re gonna have to be more specific, Goggles,” Rocket leaned against the bars, “Because someone just had me.”

Mctwisp paused, one ear turning to the raccoon, “Is that so? Had that someone harvested anything from you? If yes, name the material I’ll retrieve it immediately.”

Rocket blurted out a laugh—so loud it echoed through the emptiness of the underground laboratory he was held captive in. “You clearly missed the joke, Fluff.” Rocket grunted as he fixed his sitting position.

Like the joke that flew right over the rabbit’s head, Rocket’s point was no different. “If you’re still in one piece, that’s all that matters.”

“Question,” Rocket coughed to adjust his voice, “What exactly is it that you want with me?”

“I just said it,” the rabbit spun the metal rod in his hand, “All of you. Your cybernetic skeleton, your enhanced cerebral cortex—anything I could use to create weapons.”

“This ain’t your lucky day, Whitey,” Rocket groaned, “Look around your junk. There’s nothing there that could be compatible with the tech inside me.”

“With the right modifications, anything can be compatible with anything,” the rabbit said, “Do not fret however. Let me motivate you for a more relaxing death. Your sacrifice will save one planet.”

“How’s that going to motivate me?” Rocket spat, “I’m no hero, Rabbit. I won’t give up my life for a petty planet.”

Mctwisp sighed. “Shame… you’ll have to die for it anyway.”

Rocket got up and held the rusty bars inside his knuckles. He slipped his snout between the gaps and whispered loudly, just for the irony of it. “From what I see, you’re not very intelligent.” He mocked the rabbit, “Taking pieces of me will create nothing.”

“You’re right,” Mctwisp agreed, running the metal rod against the bars and tapped it on Rocket’s nose once. “Which is why I decided to keep your parts together… with a little add-ons of my own tech. I’ll have my own Bandersnatch but much smaller.”

“Bander-what?” Rocket repeated.

“Bandersnatch,” Mctwisp clarified, “A fearsome, powerful, loyal beast to fight for our freedom. That’s you,” Mctwisp pointed the rod at Rocket, “After I’m done opening you up.”

There was a tinge of fear showing in Rocket’s eyes but he made sure that Mctwisp wouldn’t see through him. Out of this mess, he’ll figure something out. He will not become anyone’s mindless slave.