NOTES:
This story contains elements of self-harm/suicide and verbal/physical abuse. It is not graphically described, nor is it a large part of the story. BUT, if you feel this will trigger you, please do NOT read it. Stay safe, kids.
Peter trudged down the marble steps of one of the towering Columbia University, listening to Ned and MJ bicker about the best Star Wars episode. His mind was already made up; Empire Strikes Back. But he could be persuaded to A New Hope. "Bye guys, I'm going to Butler," Peter said quietly. Ned and MJ waved him off, having long ago resigned to Peter's unwavering Star Wars opinions.
While Ned and MJ headed to the subway, Peter started climbing up to the roof of the Butler Library, taking the steps two at a time in order to get up there for the sunset. He had a pack of Oreos and some Gatorade stashed up there waiting for him. When he got to the attic, he climbed up through the air vent and stuck his head out into the fresh air. Once Peter made sure no campus police were around, he tossed his bag onto the roof and hauled himself out. Stretching out onto the roof, Peter listened to the sounds of the city, staring at the cloudy grey sky. He had gotten up there a couple of minutes before the sunset. Putting his hands above his head, Peter closed his eyes and stretched.
Wade waited until the tiny old librarian left the Butler Library, locking the majestic front doors and walking to her car, claw-like hands clutching her purse. He stood in the shadow of a broken street lamp, watching the old woman climb safely into her Prius. Tugging his hood lower, Wade ambled up to the building, head angled down and hands stuffed in his pockets.
{Stupid bitch. Probably calling the cops on us right now.}
[Would you really blame her? I'd take one look at our ugly ass mug and call the cops on us.]
Wade ignored the boxes' rambling and kept up his unconcerned stroll towards the massive library. Looking over his shoulder, Wade turned the corner of the building and shot a grappling hook up to the roof. Checking for onlookers one last time, he released the trigger, pulling himself up to the roof.
{Wheeeee!}
[Shut up, dumbass, we've done this a million times.]
Sighing at the undoubtedly long night of not unaliving people, Wade walked across the roof until he found the lighted office of the man to be murdered. Wade pulled his binoculars and box of cheese puffs out of his backpack and went to sit down.
Unfortunately, something had beaten him to it. Wade sat down on a pair of gangly legs, causing him to jump up and train his Desert Eagle on them.
[God damn, you dumbass, can't even do a simple stakeout right.]
{Well it's not like we'd expect someone to be sitting on the roof of a big ass library at midnight. Other than ourselves, of course.}
Breathing heavily, gun still trained on the offending legs, Wade slowly took in the rest of the sleeping person. Long, jean-clad legs led up to a dark blue t-shirt under a windbreaker, followed by a pale face with defined cheekbones, long dark eyelashes, and a sweep of brown hair across his forehead. There was a spattering of freckles across his nose, and his peaceful face seemed like he couldn't be any older than twenty-five. His arms were trapped above his head, lifting his shirt to reveal a thin strip of ivory skin that Wade couldn't seem to stop glancing at. Still, the Desert Eagle was trained on the boy's forehead, foretelling a quick, painless death that wouldn't even wake the kid up.
[Look at that twink. I could just eat. Him. Up.] growled Yellow dangerously, causing Wade to shiver in the warm August air.
{Look at the kid-he's so young, Wade. Young, and full of hope. We were never like that. Let him live-just for tonight. You see him again, kill him. But not now.}
It was mostly White's deep kindliness that convinced Wade to tuck his gun into the back of his jeans. White mostly stuck to stupid jokes and impulsivity, and hearing him so… sincere made Wade lower his gun.
Instead, Wade settled down next to the kid, training his binoculars on the third story, four windows over. A copious amount of yellow light was spilling out of the window, shadowed by a man bent over a laptop, typing ferociously. The professor leaned back, hands rubbing his eyes, relaxing into his exhaustion.
{Snack break!} White sang, interrupting the relative silence they had coexisted in.
[Hells yeah! Break out the cheese balls, motherfucker]
Wade unscrewed the top of the massive jar and stuck his hand into it, groping the snacks for a gratuitous handful. He stuffed his mouth full of the cheese balls, crunching loudly and humming the intro to Fergalicious, kicking the roof to the beat.
{Listen up y'all, cause this is it}
[The beat that I'm banging is delicious]
[{Fergalicious definition:}]
"Make them boys go loco! They want my treasures so they get their pleasures from my photo,"
[You could see me, you can't squeeze me,]
{I ain't easy I ain't sleazy, I got reasons why I tease 'em}
"Boys just come and go like seasons!"
Wade was really into the song now, abandoning his cheese puffs to fully sing the song, at the top of his voice.
"Fergalicious, so delicious, But I ain't promiscuous, and if you were suspicious…"
Wade pointed at the kid, who was miraculously still asleep. He must be tired. Determined not to lose the song, Wade pointed back at himself,
[{"ALL THAT SHIT IS FICTITIOUS!"}]
With a start, and a jump, the kid sprung up, fists pulled up to his face in a sloppy form. Wade grinned, subconsciously pulling his hood lower on his face, even in the dark, starless night. "Sloppy form, kid. But I'll give you an A for effort. You've only just woken up." The kid blinked his eyes, shaking the sleep from his face. Now that he was awake, Wade couldn't help but admire his expressive face. Wide, expressive brown eyes under thick lashes, dark eyebrows contorting in confusion, and pouting, chapped lips with a sore on the bottom left side.
"What the- Where the- Who, who are you?" The kid asked, eyes alert, muscles tense.
"Dea-Wade Wilson, at your service. And you, kid?" Wade didn't know why he told him his real name.
[You're not in your Deadpool costume, so that's probably why, dumbass.]
{True. Bet the cutie would like that, though. Riding you with -}
Nope, Wade wasn't going to think about that now. "P-Peter," the kid said, lowering his hands but still alert, hovering on the balls of his feet.
[Kill him. He's seen us-he needs to die.]
{We can't kill a kid!}
[We've done it before. Get off your high horse, White. ]
Wade shook his head, knocking on it for good measure. "Not yet," He growled, still shaking his head like a wet dog.
"Uh, are you okay?" Asked the kid-Peter-concernedly, taking a few steps closer to Wade, worry etched into doe eyes. The kid had woken up to some freak singing Fergalicious. On a rooftop. At night.
{Well the kid is also sleeping on a rooftop at night so…}
[Yeah-freaks gonna be freaks.]
Wade had to push away the kind of freak he hoped Peter was. "Yeah-I'm fine. Just the boxes!"
Peter nodded, still confused.
[Why'd you have to bring us up you dumbass? Now he'll never sleep with us. ]
"Okay then. Uh… what're you doing up here? " asked Peter, who had apparently determined Wade was not a threat, while he sat down. Wade plopped down beside him, shoving his hand back into the giant Tupperware of cheese balls.
"Could ask you the same question, baby boy," Wade said around a mouthful of cheese balls. Peter flushed, his pale skin almost glowing in the dark night.
"I come up here to study… I guess I just fell asleep." Peter said, scratching the back of his neck.
{Aww a nerd!}
[A nerd we should've killed the moment he woke up.]
Wade ignored the boxes, as usual, and grinned, teeth covered in cheese dust. "I like to watch the city at night. Guess our paths must've crossed-all the better for me, Petey."
Peter flushed again, turning his head to shadow his face better. They sat in silence for a while, close enough for Wade to reach out and ghost his hands across Peter's hunched back.
Wade was spread out, relaxed, legs straight out in a wide v, hands planted on either side. Peter sat with his knees drawn into his chest, his chin resting on them. His arms were wrapped tightly around his jeans, the windbreaker rustling every now and then. They sat in a comfortable silence, taking in the city.
Finally, Peter looked up at Wade, Brown eyes brimming with questions. "What do you like watching the city for?" He asked, hushed.
"Reminds me of home, I guess. Used to climb up to my roof and sit there when my parents were fighting. Lights are so peaceful…" Wade trailed off.
{The fuck you say that for?}
[such a freak. ]
But Peter smiled, scooting in closer. "Where are you from?" He asked now barely a foot away. The lights of the city were reflected in his eyes, all of New York contained in an organ a couple of centimeters wide.
"Vancouver. " Wade whispered, breath caught in his throat.
[yes… throat. Slit his. He's too close. ]
{He'll see our face. Our horrible ugly face and he'll freak out and leave and we'll never see him again. }
[We can keep him forever once he's dead. Take a few pictures, burn the body. No one else will get to see those eyes…]
"No-no! We aren't doing that-" wade started to mumble, hands coming up to cradle his head.
Wade froze. A soft, tentative hand was covering his own, holding his gloved one gently.
"You okay?" Peter asked, concern falling like rain from his lips.
The voices went quiet.
Wade could think.
"Yea-yeah I'm fine. Just a little staticky in there." Wade grinned half-heartedly. Now the kid was sure to think him a freak.
"So you're from Canada? I've never even left the city." Peter said, a tinge of wistfulness in his voice.
"You're still young. There's a big world for you." Wade said, instantly shocked by his sincerity. The voices, who would normally jump on him for that, were still oddly silent.
Peter was still holding his hand. Wade looked down, surprised and confused, and Peter hastily dropped his hand, scooting back and flushing pink.
Instantly, the voices returned.
[What the fuck was that?]
{Kill him. He did that. }
[Kill that shit head. He did this!]
Wade ignored the voices, instead concentrating on the kid in from school of him.
Peter was smiling tentatively. "I've always wanted to go to Paris. And Germany. Maybe once I finish school."
"I've been to both. Paris is crowded. Germany is nice-everyone looks like they need to be on that Vikings show."
Peter's eyes widened slightly. He scooted closer to Wade.
"Where else have you been?" He asked, eyes dancing with the light of excitement
"Uhh.. pretty much everywhere. I travel a lot for my job. I'm… personal security." Wade bullshitted, pulling his hood further down. It wasn't exactly a lie…
{Yes it is. }
[White's right. It's totally a lie. But that's what we do, isn't it?]
Wade gritted his teeth, forcing the boxes to the back of his mind until they became nothing but a low hum.
"That's really awesome. I wish I could do something like that, but I'm not exactly… Security material." Peter said, looking down at his lean frame.
Wade tried to swallow with a dry mouth. "You'd be surprised. We gotta be mobile, strong, and smart. You'd do well." Wade murmured, pulling on his hood again.
Peter blushed. "Thanks," He said, rubbing the back of his neck.
"What're you studying?" Wade asked, his voice sounding unusually loud in the comfortable silence they had just been relaxing in.
"Oh! I'm a biochemistry major. I'm working on my masters. I'd love to go on to a Ph.D., but I don't think it's in my cards." Peter said, his face lighting up.
{Look at him-he's so excited. Found his passion and everything!}
[Wonder what that's like. All we know is death-]
Wade interrupted his boxes. "I knew you were crazy smart. Might've been the fact you were sleeping on a textbook bigger than me," Wade chuckled, resisting the urge to ruffle Peter's untidy hair. Peter blushed, hand rubbing his neck again. God that was sexy.
{look at him, so insecure}
[wanna make him scream our name, wanna-]
Wade pushed the boxes back again. "Why biochemistry?" He asked instead, smiling.
Peter lit up, eyes bright. "I've always loved figuring out how the world works. People argue that's physics or math, but really I think it's biochemistry. Everything's tied together, everything relies on each other. Take one animal or plant out of an ecosystem, into crumbles. Remove one tiny electron or proton, the atom is totally different. It's beautifully complex."
Wade stared. He never expected such a philosophical answer from the kid. Peter flushed, hand coming yet again to the back of his neck. He chewed on his lip, avoiding Wade's gaze.
[could just eat him up. Tear into him, be the best he's ever had]
{Come on.. we haven't gotten laid in ages.}
Wade ignored the boxes again, smiling genuinely. They sat, barely two inches apart, and watched the city.