#writing rocket raccoon

[raccoonfallsharder]

Hi! I just wanted to say I've been reading through Window Across the Galaxy - inching forward but reading it - and the way you write Rocket is so damn good. Though maybe I'm biased to hell and back because that is also exactly how I pictured pre-vol. 1 Rocket, haha.

The switching perspectives offer so much. I love how much they are misunderstanding each other.

Your work is inspiring me to want to work on my own wip OC fic. I've only just finished reading chapter 2 but I'm so hooked on Jolie and Rocket's tale. I love all these little snippets we get about her and her career as an artist/appraiser/restorer is so interesting.

A few questions, I know there are a lot of little references to the comics here and there, some I recognize from my own forays into reading those, and when I don't, I look it up because honestly, you add so much flavor and life to the worlds you write that I feel the need to know more. For the stuff that isn't a reference or at least a direct reference (as in a product from a known planet), how do you decide on names and other specifics? I personally long to do that in my writing but struggle with thinking things sound believable.

My other question is do you have any tips for writing Rocket? I know technically he hasn't said anything yet where I am in the story - semantics really, lol - but even through his thought process it sounds so much like him.

friend. sunshine. dewdrop. every time i see a comment or message or ask from you, i get giddy as a six-month-old puppy. you are SO kind and generous and I appreciate your words & support SO much

i’m gonna (try to) answer your questions behind the cut because I am a wordy bitch. also these questions are hard because i don’t often think about HOW my brain works so i will do my best.

but first i wanna say that i am SO excited & honored to have encouraged you to work on your own oc fic! if you end up posting here pleeease tag me ♡ and if not that’s okay too. when i started Window i thought it was going to be just for me and honestly it freed me up to do whatever the fuck i wanted, at my own pace, and that is part of what has kept it fun for me.

K BUCKLE UP THIS IS LENGTHY

so in terms of the shit I just make up (Glortho’s Equation, Spartaxian sugardrops, various fruits and foods and soap and recycling-compressors and other general NONSENSE). this is a layered process.

Almost everything I make up, I try to root in a canonical environment/planet, and I want it to make sense for the characters to HAVE it.

so eg, recycling-compressors came about because, like, they just need a practical way to store or get rid of trash. Are they jettisoning it into space every cycle? Dropping it on a landfill planet? Rocket’s comics-canon disdain for Earth + mentions of intergalactic human lifeform rights policies that Earth doesn’t honor leads me to belief that MOST space-folk embrace more sustainable practices. could be a recycling planet, but i didn’t want them needing to travel there every eight rotations or whatever so i decided having a compressor would allow them to have longer gaps between unloading. but like, you could do ANYTHING. maybe most intergalactic packaging is made from products that can be burnt as a clean universal fuel or something ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

similarly i wanted my best raccoon boy to have access to fish. but since he’s a broke-ass bounty hunter 90% of the time, it’s gotta be something inexpensive/accessible (or stealable) - which means it’s probably a cheap export from a planet with a lot of water. Hello, Morag (and the resulting Moraggian moonfish). Sometimes I’ll reference something already canonical in connection to something I fuckin made up just to increase the sense that all these things interplay with each other (zargnut-crusted moonfish sold by a street vendor on conjunction).

Sometimes I do the opposite. I try to imagine what a product from a planet would look like. eg Indigarran beeswax. I thought, what would Indigar export? It’s this gorgeous planet with a cathedral/palace/place of devotion made of glass. if i - an aesthetique lol - had a glass cathedral, I’d want that shit lit up with candles. Can you imagine how gorgeous that would be? Glimmering everywhere. That’s how i spent too much time dreaming up Indigarran beeswax ceremonial candles for a throwaway line somewhere deep in Window I think ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I also figure because of Kree imperialism in this region of the galaxy, a lot of shit is probably Xandaran. Relatedly if it’s a product associated with wealth, I’ll use Xandar or Spartax (also Atraxia but I think I made that planet up lol). I’ll use Asgard occasionally too but less often because it’s supposed to be at the other end of the galaxy. So if I’m referencing a luxury item, it USUALLY comes from one of these places.

For writing Rocket. I think @aliasrocket recently wrote something about this and I agree with like, every flawless thing they said. I listen to a lot of Rocket clips. I try to hear each spoken line in my head in his voice. Some verbs will end in a hard -ing, and some in a soft hanging -in’. I might also use a conjunction (even if it’s not a “usual” conjunction). Sometimes I use something like a liaison in French (I don’t know if there’s a word for it in English, but I basically smush two words together). Moreover, I’ll go back through Rocket’s dialogue on reread and just make sure I don’t go more than like 1-3 sentences without some kind of word-softening. Some examples:

“What’re you laughin’ at me for?”

“Why d’you wanna do that?”

In third-person narration from Rocket’s perspective (non-dialogue) i still try to use these sporadically, but nowhere near as often because I am trying to separate narrative voice from speaking voice just a little.

I also try to consider rocket’s frame of reference for everything from his perspective. What does he know about because he’s seen it? Heard of it? How did he see or hear it? did he learn about it from a fellow prisoner in the Kyln? Someone he did a job for in Conjunction? An alien refugee on earth? Iron Man? Did he steal it? Make it? Buy it? Was it given to him and by whom and why? How trustworthy is his source? How trustworthy does he think they are?

…

OKAY. wow if you made it to the end of this novel you are IMPRESSIVE and I hope it was at least a little helpful. if you have any other questions I will be flattered and happy to answer them and I’ll try to less fuckin wordy. ♡

you are a gem & a blessing & I hope your fanfic-writing brings you JOY

[mischievous-thunder]

Flashback scenes? More like a cry your heart out session

[sunllghtt]

This is extremely specific and useless and tiny but it always gets to me for some reason. In Vol 2 when the Guardians are about to go off with Ego there's this 2 second little scene of Gamora giving Rocket a free pass to shoot Nebula if he has to or smth and he's SO UPSET 😭😭 it might be the fact he's usually loud and restless and crawling up the walls and thats why the contrast is so evident but this time he's just quietly fixing the mess he's made of their ship and just answers whatever they say with "Uh huh" "yeah" and it makes me feel so bad for him??? He knows he fucked up and it's his fault and it's clear they're all mad (especially Quill) and he doesn't know how to apologize or act around them. Idk man he just looked so off and defeated 😭 it's always the little things and the body language yk

I spent the last 40 minutes looking for the clip but I can't find it to save my life so here's the script to back me up lmfao

[abrielarnold]

The room starts to spin and he’s glad he’s lying down. He shuts his eyes and turns his external imaging devices and motion sensors inward, cocooning himself in the darkness and warm hum of his machines.

The only part of himself that he allows himself to interface with is the blades in his shoulder copters turning slowly in time with the slight draft in the room. He drapes his mind around them, giving the spinning, dizzy feeling a place to exist that isn’t his stomach. His louvres flutter like gills, directing his exhaust-filled breaths away from his fuel lines and processors.

You Can't Save Everyone, But You Can Try by JustAnotherGuest.

watched generator rex for the body horror, stayed for the giant robots, decided that there could have been MORE body horror and giant robots, and here we are.

[somewhere-on-knowhere]

I've written Rocket Raccoon's name so many times that when I finally used the word "rocket" as a noun my phone automatically capitalised it.

[raccoon-coded]

I wanna see Peter and Rocket getting sh!tfaced and singing / dancing their hearts out at a bar.

Like they meet up one day and they're healed and they're hanging out like the old times and letting loose and just being the best friends that they are.

I want to see them happy and finally living life to the fullest. ❤️

[eflen-n-reegee]

Flip Rocket Raccoon Headcanons (Guardians of the Galaxy Trilogy)

Heads up: these movies contain death, illness, animal cruelty, arguable body horror, violence, fighting among friends, swearing, and trauma.

As a Caregiver

All his nicknames for you are… unconventional. “Pipsqueak”, “little turd”, “brat”, etc. They sound harsh, but he always says them with affection.

He causes explosions in different colors so you can enjoy the pretty lighting.

He swears CONSTANTLY, but gets hilariously horrified if you do the same.

He frequently steals little things for you. And occasionally big things. One or two huge things. He loves stealing, he loves you, you deserve stolen stuff.

He invents new cool things for you to use. Low-gravity suits so you can float around, vacuum-sealing blankets so you can feel swaddled even when you’re alone, a plushie with multiple embedded weapons in case you get in trouble…

As a Regressor

He loves slapstick comedies and fail videos. Anything that features someone being hurt has him rolling on the floor with laughter.

He’s a big fan of chase games, although he does tend to get the tiniest bit over competitive…

He has mixed feelings about animals while he’s regressed. He is curious about them, but he gets frustrated that they aren’t as smart as him. Cosmo becomes one of his best regression friends since she’s an animal who can actually talk back.

He loves escape rooms, and he often creates his own. It’s now a rule that he has to WARN people before he locks them in.

When he’s regressed, he really loves head pets and scritches.

[scholastic-dragon]

I bet you're tired or Rocket fics so you don't have to wrte this one but can you do a fic where Rocket is beig sweet n all to the reader but doesn't want to admit it? He pus a blanket over you when he thinks you're sleeping, fixes your hair, fixes your broken chair, yk that sorta stuff.

Once again ou don't have to do this, have fun and take breaks <3

-🎧 anon

this is so rocket

Also, how dare you assume I'm tired of Rocket - do not say such blasphemous things

"I know it was you," You giggle, taking a sip of your drink, staring at him from across the bar.

"It wasn't," He grumbles, taking a long sip from his own cup.

"You were the only other one on the ship that night!" You laugh, picking at the leather on the booth you were sitting at.

"Not true! Nebula was also there!" He states triumphantly, gesturing with his cup, sloshing some of the liquid about, spilling some across the wooden table surface.

"Right," You roll your eyes. "Because sweet and loving Nebula definitely pulled my blankets up around me last night," You snort.

"You know what," Rocket slumped back down onto the bench, crossing his arms across his chest. "Believe whatever you want Y/n. It. Didn't. Happen."

You rolled your eyes with a laugh, "whatever you say, Rockie,"

The next day, fighting a hangover you are trying to fix one of the ships engines. You're kneeling on the ground, arms shoved into a large metal basin, trying to sorter two wires together.

Unfortunately, you forgot to put your hair back, and now I was too late, with your hands 1) covered in oil and 2) stuck inside the basin.

You blew a long bang from your face, trying to tilt your head so it was out of your eyesight.

"Everything alright back there?" Rocket calls from his own desk. Up until that moment, you were sure he was passed out, arms crossed, and his forehead resting on his forearms.

"No," You puff, almost dropping the tool. "My stupid hair is in my eyes. Can't see shit,"

You don't hear Rocket move, but suddenly he's next to you. His small hand coming up and gently tucking your hair behind your ear. The back of his fingers trace the smooth skin along your jaw before he clicks his tounge.

"No, that won't work," He mumbled, pulling off his leather arm strap and hoping up onto your shoulder.

"Hey-" You jolt, almost dropping the wires and tools, shocked by what Rocket was doing.

Rocket hums softly as he starts pulling your hair back, raking his nails through it to get all the tangles out.

Despite his obvious strength and sharp claws, he was so gentle, and if you weren't extremely aware of how important your task was, you'd be tempted to fall asleep.

Once your hair was neatly balled in his fist, he tied the leather strap around it, them hoped down off your shoulder.

"There. That better?" He asked, yawning and scratching the side of his face.

You roll your eyes. Of course, he's hungover. "Yes, it's better, thanks, Rockie," You laugh softly.

"What? What're you laughing at?" He smiles at you, God's he's cute when hungover.

"You just helped me prove my point,"

He smiled wider. "And what point is that?"

"That you care," You tease.

He scoffs, smiling even though he tries to brush it off. "Nah,"

"I think you do," You nudge him with your knee. "Admit it you care about me,"

He chuckles dryly, crossing his arms. "Is that what you want?"

You nod. "Yes, say it. Say you care about me,"

He puts his arms up in surrender, slurring his words slightly. "Fine fine, I love ya alright, happy now?"

He laughs, waving his hands dismissively at you, walking back to his own work bench, unaware of his own words.

"Yeah, I am happy now, Rockie,"

[writings-of-a-demigod]

"What the hell is that thing?" Rocket pointed at the screen.

You were bored and while you were rewatching old disney movies you got to Pocahontas and you saw Meeko, and the thought of showing Rocket the animated virsion of him came to mind.

"That's Meeko he's a raccoon" you said looking down smiling at him “You know like you.”

"That thing does Not look like me" Rocket crossed his arms over his chest “and wipe that smile off your face”

You felt Groot coming from behind you and you were right because he said.

"I am Groot"

Rocket looked over at him angry "What? Oh come on we're nothing alike" he complained putting his paws over his face.

You leaned over to him a little "You two could be cousins" hiding a smile.

"Hahahaha very funny Y/N" Rocket mocked.

“I’m just saying if one day you went missing and he showed up no one will be able to tell the difference.” You shrugged “Oh wait he doesn’t talk” you added lost in thought.

“Okay you know what I’ve been insaulted enough for today.” He got down from the chair and walked out of the room, you and Groot watched him go.

“I am Groot”

You turned to look at Groot pointing at the screen of your laptop, you saw what he was pointing at.

“You’re right that tree does look like you Groot.” You looked up to him smiling.

[starmunchandthefunkybunch]

okay as someone who has been in love with their best friend i feel qualified to speak on this subject.

GOTG3 SPOILERS

quill makes a VERY distinct difference when talking about rocket in GOTG3 than talking about anyone else. Nebula calls Rocket family, Drax calls him brother (pretty sure), and Mantis is Quill's sister. Everyone has a term for them that falls within family (like brother, sister, etc, in Groot's case talking to Quill and Rocket, dad, i know best friends can be family, just stay with me here), and yet, Quill, time after time, puts emphasis on best friend, when talking about Rocket....why?

Because he knows that Rocket can't be his brother, it doesn't sound right. I've been there. You feel something for them, and yet you don't really know what it is. It's more than a friend, you know it's more than a friend, and they really, really are, your best friend; they mean soo much to you, so much. So...what's after a best friend? Well family right? But they can't mean family because that doesn't feel quite right either, thats not entirely...accurate...so....best friends, yes very best friends. That's what Quill is going through. That's why he NEVER calls him brother, or family or anything like that but doesn't correct anyone else when they do, because Quill...loves him, he's in love with him.

That's why he doesn't correct Drax at all when he refers to himself as Quill's best friend because well, Rocket is more than that.

[magnificent-nerd]

Content warning for:

Ableist remarks, and violence mention toward a disabled person

Screen shots taken today:

James Gunn replies to a fan asking about Bucky's arm in the GOTG Holiday Special, and claims that Nebula (herself a disabled character with artificial limbs) "took a trip to Earth and tore it [Bucky's artificial limb] off his body because she was feeling Christmassy."

-

This is truly horrible.

Not only is it graphic violence toward a disabled character for no reason at all, it also shows that this whole bit was pure Abelism from the start.

From writer's room to your screens, Ableist jokes for the sake of laughing at disabled people.

As fans it is up to us to say No, we don't accept this. We won't accept this.

Disabled characters and disabled fans deserve better.

MCU, do better.

[raccoonfallsharder]

Suggestion: Rocket can't wear gloves because of his claws so he runs them together like those raccoons who look like they're plotting something... And maybe he gets some help warming them up :)

okay, my little chai latte. how are we feeling about two? a fluffy little piece, and something a touch more spicy? i’m waffling between mcu-rocket and comics-rocket so if you have a preference, let a girl know ♡♡ (seriously i could write about holding hands with rocket for days, so thank you for this very-enabling prompt, sundrop)

[blueberrysquire]

rocket artists. It is your time to shine.

...in december-

[lwitch7]

6 chapters have gone through revision in Stars in the sky, and one other thing I want to add is one of these Alternate Rocket illustrations but I'm not sure where to put him.

Once a is done I'll post next chapter (which will have a very nice talk between Rocket and Peter)

I don't know whether to add the flat colored or the "shaded" one, would like to hear some thoughts.

[sunllghtt]

When you make the mistake of bringing up Peter Quill and Rocket Raccoon next to me and I talk uninterruptedly for 6 hours

[aliasrocket]

omg for a fic idea or fluff imagine maybe taking rocket to an earth amusement park/fair and he absolutely hates it XD

Omg omg okok I’ll do an imagine bc sadly I’m super bad at fluff (if you notice from my ao3 acc I have never touched the tag in my LIFE/hj)

Also warning you guys now, this imagine gives vol. 1 Rocket vibes (bc I’ve rewatched all 3 gotg films a normal amount to realize Rocket’s personality is always slightly different/more lighthearted with each sequel)

Also, the amusement park I picked was Universal Studios, enjoy :)

gif source <3 / masterlist!! / request stuff <3

“What the fuck are we doin’ here?”

Yeah, that was Rocket’s initial reaction when you both stop at the huge oscillating globe with the gigantic title of ‘Universal Studios’ wrapping around it.

You laughed, because he literally had no reason to look this grumpy at an amusement park but it was something you were used to by then.

“It’s an amusement park, Rocket.”

“Well I’m not very amused, you see,” he quipped sardonically.

This only made you snicker.

“Is my unamusement amusing you, humie?”

“That’s not a word!” You laughed.

“Fuck if I care.”

You and Rocket walk in eventually, and not even a minute of walking and Rocket starts getting bombarded for photos.

“No! Look lady if you don’t—”

“Everyone!” You yelled, holding out your hand in front of Rocket as if to protect him. “He’s not an employee here!”

Most people backed off, but there were some others that were still insisting that Rocket’s ‘cosplay’ was hyper-realistic.

Rocket at this point had more ‘important’ matters to attend to so you both decided to simply run off, Rocket scrambling on all fours as you book it to catch up to him.

“I don’t need you to protect me.”

“I know.”

“Then why did you put your arm over me like I was some wounded animal?”

“Because I was concerned for their safety, not yours,” you chuckled.

And, to your surprise, Rocket joins you in your laughter.

“Damn straight,” he remarked with a contented grin stretched across his face.

You guys eventually arrive to your first ride, and it’s the mummy ride. Rocket had already begun to scowl when he entered the area.

“What’s this?” He asked when you grabbed his hand and dragged him into the queue.

“The mummy ride. You’re not scared, are you?” You teased.

“We live in fucking space. Ain’t no way I’m gonna be scared of—”

Rocket screamed and practically cried non-stop on the entire ride, and when there were stops, a long, thundering string of curses were launched from his lips making parents with their kids glare at him after the ride was over.

You, on the other hand, were nothing but entertained.

“Oh my god, you should have seen your face! You were so fucking scared you couldn’t even—”

“Shut up! Fuckin’ hell you’d think they’d have windshields for that shit what the fuck was that?”

You laughed some more, but he didn’t stop you at all or comment on just how amusing this all seemed to you. He simply stole glances every time you laughed and you pretended not to notice for his sanity.

Next up; battlestar galactica.

The ride was outdoors so both of you could see the blue and red tracks very loosely intertwining with each other and having insane drops and loops. Every ten seconds was just another group of people lost to the thrill of the ride.

“Nu-uh. Nope.” Rocket was about to walk away but you hold him by the shoulder pad.

“You’re riding this with me, no exceptions.”

“Like fuck I’m doin’ that,” Rocket cursed.

“Oh come on! If you don’t come with me I can’t go!”

“What are you talking about?”

“I … I …”

Yeah, you didn’t wanna admit it but you had some of your own fears yourself. Any rollercoaster was doable as long as you had someone to wrap your arm around. You were kinda surprised when Rocket said nothing about you squeezing his arm for dear life in the mummy ride but now, there was probably no escaping it when he was looking at you so intently, eyes dragging all over your body as if he was searching for an anomaly in one of those inventions.

“Oh my,” he began teasingly, “you’re scared too.”

“No! I can do it I just—I can’t do it alone, come on Rocket.”

He grinned. It appeared it was his turn to be amused.

“Admit it, humie. You need me.”

You bit your lip.

“Rocket, stop being a dick and come with me.”

“Not until you admit that you can’t do it without me,” he repeated, your name falling out of his lips like he knew your legs grew weak at the way he says it.

You clenched your jaw, finally relenting with an audible, drawn out groan.

“Fine! You win! Rocket, please oh please I need you on this ride, please just ride it with me!” You said over dramatically, clamping your hands together before dropping them and slumping your shoulders in annoyance.

He couldn’t help but give a smug grin at your response.

He ambled in with his chest puffed out, hands shoved into his pockets as his ego had just been filled.

“Damn fuckin’ straight, humie,” he remarked. “You coming or what?”

You chase after him for the second time that day, not even realizing you were frozen in your spot.

Even after all that, it didn’t make him any less scared of the ride as he continued to scream and scratch at the shoulder restraints of the ride. By the time the ride was over, he was panting, his eyes darting around at the various workers who’s eyes widened at the sight of all the blackened claw marks on the seats.

“We gotta run.”

“Huh?”

Third time you chased after Rocket that day with the staff tailing both of you about the damages caused on the ride.

Needless to say, that was your one and only time going to an amusement park with your favorite trash panda.

He would never tell you this, but if you ever asked to go again, he could never gather the strength or courage to tell you no.