Ultimate Writing Adventure Chapter 9 Christmas Time

"Why can't I come with you?" Deadpool whined.

Kat was getting very worn out, because Deadpool just didn't listen. "First, you don't have tickets. Second, I'm technically crossing international borders, and you're fully armed. Third, I'm not putting you up in my parents' house."

"I just want to go home for Christmas with you," Deadpool said in a small voice. It was just a little pathetic.

Kat sighed. Drokk her bleeding heart making this so much harder. "I know, and if I'd already moved out of course you could come with," she reassured him. "But I'm certain you understand people wanting to keep certain things out of their family life. I just…can't process the idea of you and my family."

"You'd leave me all alone?" Deadpool wheedled.

"Please don't do this to me," Kat pleaded. "I gave you that list of fanfics with lovely Christmas fluff you can slide into. Won't that help you?"

"Oh yeah!" Deadpool perked up.

"And it's Red Team Week on Tumblr at the beginning of January," Kat reminded him. "That'll be nice, won't it?"

"I hope the artists get my best side," Deadpool said dreamily.

Kat nodded. "There you go then."

"But..." and Kat groaned inwardly. "I'm coming with you."

Kat resisted the urge to tear her hair out. "Wade, you can't."

"No, listen, Missy Author." Deadpool forced her to stop checking her bags were all packed for the fourth time, and made her sit on the bed next to him. "You had a panic attack last week. You've been a mess for days. You still think you're gonna flunk your year of studies. Today you've had a full day of classes, and you're gonna take three different trains, a ferry and a drive across half of Ireland. Seeing as you told me you're too nervous to sleep on trains, and too seasick to sleep on ferries, you'll be up for at least twenty-three hours. You could do with an escort."

Kat sagged. She didn't have the best track record for long distance travel, between missed connections, flooded lines, delays due to rough seas, and once even a snowed-under airport. And lugging multiple bags across the country was a trial in and of itself. "Three rules," she declared. "First, I'm meeting my wee brother at the port, so we'll split there. Second, you'll be incognito, so no suit and no apparent weapons. Third, you'll buy train tickets, dinner and coffee. Deal?"

Deadpool was staring at her. "Your 'wee' brother?"

She huffed. "Moved to Northern Ireland old enough to retain the English accent, young enough to pick up the vocabulary. Is this seriously the first time you've noticed?"

"Yup," Deadpool shrugged. "Do you identify as English or Irish?"

"I never identify as Irish," Kat shot down. "That implies I'm from down south – I mean, the Republic of Ireland. Generally, I identify as English in Northern Ireland, Northern Irish in England, and British when I take a moment to think about it."

"No patriotism, then, huh?" Deadpool asked.

Kat laughed. "In general, British patriotism is merely a matter of approving of the Queen. In Northern Ireland, patriotism is very messy, intensely political, and occasionally get people killed. Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom, and I am a citizen of the United Kingdom. The Republic of Ireland is not part of the United Kingdom, which is why I am not Irish."

"That what this says?" Deadpool asked, holding up a small burgundy booklet embossed with gold.

Kat snatched her passport back. "Yes, actually," she growled.

"Doesn't say Katara Harkness," Deadpool muttered.

The girl froze. "No, it doesn't," she muttered. "Penname. Y'know."

"Oh." Deadpool mumbled. "So. Katara. Like the girl in Avatar?"

"The cartoon? Actually, no. I picked the name years ago, before I'd even heard of Avatar, let alone seen it." She picked up her iPhone and did a quick Google search, pulling up some pictures. "Here. It's an Indian punch knife. See the H-shaped grip? That's so the blade can sit above your knuckles. It's a mark of honour to kill a tiger with one."

Deadpool took the device, looking at the images. "Gotta get one of these."

Kat sighed, and reclaimed her phone. "Tigers are endangered. Don't kill any."

AN: Yes, I had fun with Red Team week. You'll find out Wade's thoughts on it next chapter.

So, there's also Jason and the Argonauts, Black and Red, and Ultimate Avenging Alliance. And more chapters coming soon.

Please review.

Katara