The first day that Kate goes back to school is Friday. There is a lot of tension in her from the moment she gets in the car with Wade. A few precautions have been taken, though. For one, Kate has altered her schedule so that her Literature class is an online course so she doesn't have to be in the same room where she spent so much class-time with the piece of shit Travis. She also swapped her Music Appreciation course from Tuesday/Thursday to the Monday/Wednesday/Friday course at the same time Wade has math. It is the same professor, just a different class time. While Wade is in World Civ, Kate has scheduled a time to meet with one of the school's counselors who was recommended by Dr. Grey.
Still, Kate stays pressed to Wade's side as they walk to Dr. Grey's classroom, and she keeps her earbuds in with the music going to help block everything else out. Really, Wade wishes she'd been in class on Wednesday, though he knows that it probably would have been hard on her. They were in the chapter on Social Psychology, and groupthink and the Bystander Effect were the final topics of the section.
Towards the end of the lecture, Dr. Grey stepped away from the podium and said, "I feel the need to really drive this point home because I want all of you to remember this. When you stand by and let bad things happen, you are giving your tacit consent. You are, by your silence and inaction, agreeing with what is happening. When you see someone being bullied or beaten or you see someone put something in someone's drink, and you do nothing, you are saying to the world that you agree with what is happening."
Wade wanted to pound the desk or shout something like an overly exuberant church-goer.
"Ask yourself," Dr. Grey continued. "Who do you want to be? Do you want to be the bystander? Or do you want to be the one who stands up. Because I guarantee, when one stands others will stand with you. All it takes is one person to make a big difference. And I promise you that whatever pain you experience because you stand up for what is right is nothing compared to what you will do to yourself and others by being silent. I want all of you to think about this."
However, this class period, Dr. Grey does not touch on that subject. They have moved on to the Personality chapter, and Wade is happy for it. While Kate is a tough kid, she doesn't need to have to face any demons in class. They go over the different theories of personality, and are assigned to take a few online personality tests and write a paper about the results. The paper is due the Monday after Thanksgiving, and Wade figures he'll have plenty of time for all that.
After class, Wade walks with Kate to the Counseling Office in the Admin building. Once Kate is safely in the hands of Elizabeth Braddock, Wade jogs to World Civ just as Professor Wagner is starting his lecture. They are discussing the early middle ages, and while it is interesting, Wade is worried about Kate the entire time and the hour drags by. Wade's notes are sloppy and lacking his usual detail.
Kate looks drained by the time she steps out of Braddock's office, and she is all too ready to go with Wade to an off-campus diner to get lunch. It's a little soup and sandwich place, and Kate gets broccoli cheddar in a breadbowl and Wade opts for one of their footlong sandwiches. They don't talk much, just eat and enjoy the quiet atmosphere.
Wade has a quiz that day in Intermediate Algebra, and he leaves the room pretty sure he failed it. A few of the questions, he couldn't remember the steps in solving, so he just wrote down as much as he could reason to do, and handed in his paper. He's not concerned with that grade, really. He still has a 97% overall, and even if he fails one quiz, he'll still pass.
As soon as he and Kate get back to the apartment, Kate curls up on the couch and goes to sleep with the Turtle blanket pulled over her head. She's been sleeping a lot, and Wade doesn't need to be a counselor to know why.
Wade spends the rest of the afternoon in the kitchen looking at recipes to make candy. With the Molecule presentation coming up soon, Wade needs to start making his atoms, and since Wade's molecule is Sucrose, he plans to make the whole thing out of hard candy. He finds a few different recipes, and starts making a list of things to purchase so he can start experimenting over the weekend.
Kate is still napping when Wade gets his list finished, and he stands near the couch and says, "I'm headed to Ridgefield for some stuff. You want to come along?"
"No," is the beleaguered reply.
"Do you want anything while I'm out?" Wade offers.
"Sleep," is all she says.
Wade nods, mostly to himself, and says, "Okay. Might be gone a couple hours."
Kate pokes her head out from under the blanket, squinting at him a moment before saying, "Are you going by Mega Pop?"
"I can," he says.
"Chocolate mint popcorn," she says, then she burrows back under the blanket.
Wade writes it on his list and grabs his coat. As he steps outside, his phone buzzes with a text from Peter. It just says: What are you up to tonight?
Just heading out to do some shopping. Wade types this, then shrugs and adds, You should join me.
Peter doesn't respond. At least not with a text, because he's pulling into the lot. Wade shakes a finger at him, and says, "You, sir, should not be texting while driving."
Peter laughs, and says, "I was at a stop sign and there was no one behind me."
"I've got my eye on you, professor," Wade says. Then he steps into Peter's personal space and says, "How about you and me go get some sugar?"
"Is that a euphemism?" Peter asks.
Wade leans down and whispers in Peter's ear, "It's not, but I like the way you're thinking."
After telling Aunt May their plans, they get in Wade's car and head to Ridgefield. It's a little bigger town than New Salem and has a kitchen supply outlet store that Wade wants to hit up for candy making supplies. The Mega Pop store is just a few doors down, so Wade parks halfway in between.
Wade feels like he's found his paradise going into Kitchen Connect. There is literally every possible kitchen gadget in the history of kitchen gadgets, and he needs to give himself a mental peptalk to stick to the list. He needs a candy thermometer, wooden sucker sticks, and round silicone candy molds.
While looking at the wall of confectionary tools, Peter asks, "What exactly are you making?"
"That, dear sir, is not to be discussed," Wade says.
That's when Peter lets out a squeak, and picks up a Death Star silicone mold. He holds it out to Wade, and Wade can feel himself falling in love again. He grins and says, "Holy shit, that would be perfect for what I have in mind."
"What do you have in mind?" Peter asks.
Wade shakes his head and says, "That's for me to know and you to find out."
Peter gives him a pout. "I wanna Death Star sucker."
Wade pokes him in the lip and says, "A buzzard's gonna poop on that."
Peter laughs and shakes his head. They continue to meander through the kitchen store, picking up a few different odds and ends that Wade thinks up as they go. He also gets some flavorings and food coloring, along with fine grain sugar and corn syrup.
They drop of Wade's purchases at the car and head over to Mega Pop. It's a gourmet popcorn shop with 40 flavors of popcorn, ranging from plain butter to Oregon Truffle. Wade orders a pound of the chocolate mint, and while that is being prepared, he and Peter go to the taste testing area. Wade's always like cinnamon popcorn, but there is Strawberry and Cotton Candy and Caramel Cashew.
It is pretty enjoyable just getting to spend time with Peter without time constraints. Really, it almost feels like a date. A kind of odd date, but a date because they're laughing and and making jokes and just enjoying each other's company. Being in public, they are avoiding any type of PDA, but Wade's never been the exhibitionist type (except for at Halloween in the comfort of his own parking lot). They leave with a pound of Oreo Cheesecake and Caramel Pecan, along with Kate's Chocolate Mint, and go back to the car.
They take a slightly meandering path back to New Salem, going down sideroads and back roads, and stopping at a rundown park to fog up the windows.
Wade pulls Peter to him and kisses him in that slow, sweet way that makes Peter moan into his mouth and grab at the short hair at the nape of Wade's neck. Their hands roam more, moving to touch and caress beneath their shirts. Wade is pleasantly surprised to feel the solid muscle of Peter's back and abs, his fingers brushing through the light dusting of hair below his navel.
The only trouble is Peter's hands are on the same exploration, and Wade's skin doesn't feel like normal skin. There are bumps of thick scar tissue where the skin grafts were sewn, as well as puckered lines from field surgeries to remove bullets. Some places don't have much feeling; others are exceptionally sensitive. When Peter's fingers press against one such spot, Wade lets out a strangled sound and Peter goes to move back.
Wade catches his hand and turns on the dome light, raising his shirt so that Peter can see what it is he is touching. For the first time, Wade is genuinely nervous because the last person who saw him completely naked was disgusted by the scars.
Peter's touch is feather-light, his thumb barely grazing the sensitive suture line. "Does this hurt you?"
Wade shakes his head. "No. Just kind of sensitive."
"Good sensitive or bad?" Peter asks earnestly.
"Kind of depends on the situation," Wade answers.
Peter kisses him, and it doesn't feel like consolation. It feels like hunger, and Wade decides that he doesn't need to be worried. At least, not about his scars. He might need to be concerned that he's going to come in his pants with the way Peter is rubbing against his lap. That might be a little drafty in the winter.
When Peter begins kissing down Wade's neck, he whispers, "You know, I kind of have a three date rule."
"Because you're a classy gentleman," Peter says, returning to Wade's mouth. "And you don't put out on the first date."
Wade grins and says, "It's true."
"So is this our first date then?" Peter asks.
Wade nods. "Yeah, I think it is."
Peter bites his lip and says, "Honestly? This is probably the best date I've ever had."
"Me too," Wade says. He laughs softly, and says, "I can't remember a time when he felt so happy with someone without being balls-deep first."
Peter laughs and shakes his head and says, "Me too."
"I'm going to be very honest right now." Wade kisses Peter soft, and says, "I can see myself with you for more than just a couple nights. And it might sound cheesy as fuck, but that's something worth waiting for. Because I can see myself loving you for a really long time."
And there it is. Wade Wilson, laid bare. Heart on his sleeve.
"That's what I want," Peter says, and Wade believes it.
By the time they get back to the apartment, almost 6 hours have elapsed, and Wade only feels a little guilty about that fact. But when he walks inside and finds Weasel and Kate playing Little Big World with Weasel's hair French braided in two neat rows, Wade feels a little better.
Then Weasel and Kate pause the game and put aside their controllers and vigorously clap for him, and Wade has to remind himself that he loves his friends. He also has to remind himself to not cry because Kate is laughing and happy even before he hands over the Chocolate Mint popcorn.
Saturday, Wade is meeting with the three young women who want to be part of the therapy/self-defense program. And though Kate complains and drags her feet, Wade convinces her to come with him to Quicksilver Fitness. The facility is owned by the Maximoffs, and operated by Dr. Maximoff's brother, Pietro.
Dr. Maximoff was waiting in the front entrance, and greets Wade and Kate with a bright smile. She is a small woman with a slight frame and a distinctively Eastern European accent. (Maybe Romanian?). Kate introduces herself, and the three of them wait in the front entrance for the others to arrive.
In the emails that Dr. Maximoff and Wade exchanged, they decided on a few protocols for their operation. Dr. Maximoff would escort them to the locker room and the private workout room. Wade would always be accompanied by either Kate (who was to be his assistant) or Dr. Maximoff at all times. An added layer of security would be the selection of code names for the women involved in the program.
Kate chose the name Hawkeye, which was her nickname back when she was in the archery club in high school. The other three Wade knows only as Stature, Surge, and Miss America. One of them, Stature, he recognizes from World Civ class, and he feels bad for never learning her real name.
One thing that Wade likes is seeing the expressions they wear. They have that stoic anger that he knows he can use, and with Kate standing beside him with her ass-kicking mask firmly in place, Wade starts the class.
"My name's Wade Wilson. I'm a retired Marine Corps Master Sergeant, and I am here to teach you how to fight." Wade falls easily into his drill sergeant tone. He knows that he sounds mean, but the recruits (as he takes to calling them in his head) don't flinch at the words. "I am not going to teach you how to fight in a boxing ring. I'm going to teach you how to fight dirty and defend yourself. If you want to be the Karate Kid, you're in the wrong course. But if you want to know how to save your life or someone else's, this is the place to be. We're going to start with the basics, and by the time I am done with you, you will be the most dangerous thing in the dark."
The first thing that Wade teaches them is the basic weak points on any human. Most know the balls are a weak point on a guy, but capacity to fight and harm is more diminished by eye-gouging and throat punching. Along with this lesson is how to throw a proper punch. Wade uses a sparring cushion so Kate can demonstrate the technique using both a closed fish and her palm. They also covered using elbows in close-combat situations, and the best place to kick a knee to snap the joint.
The entire session lasts two hours. The final part of the day, Wade tells all of them to use the gym to work on building muscle and gives them a print out of the same PT routine that he puts Kate through with the suggestion that they build up their endurance. They have the private workout room twice a week, Tuesday evenings and Saturday afternoons, and Stature, Surge, and Miss America promise to attend every class. Surge says she is going to bring a friend next session, and Wade encourages them to bring whomever can use the training.
Once they were in the car, Wade asks, "You hungry?"
Kate shrugs. "Not really. Just tired."
"You did a helluva job," Wade says.
Kate leans against the window and says, "Stature wants me to go to their group meetings with Dr. Maximoff. I…" She sighs. "I think I will. Just… Just to see what it's all about."
Wade wants to say, Good. I'm proud of you for taking that step. But he kind of wants to punch himself for sounding like Nate inside his head, so he just holds out his fist and Kate gives it a solid bump, and that's the end of the conversation.
When Wade and Kate walk through the door, Weasel immediately stands up from his chair and says, "I need to talk to you about something."
"That doesn't sound ominous at all," Wade says as he sets aside his gym bag.
Weasel shrugs and says, "Well, I guess it all depends on what you think."
Wade props his hands on the counter. "Okay…?"
"Al is getting kicked out of the retirement place in Vegas," Weasel says, and Wade can't help but chuckle because good-god, that isn't really a surprise.
Kate's brow furrows. "Who's Al?"
"Foster mom," Wade and Weasel say in unison.
Weasel says, "We both lived with her for a while. I was there for three years. Wade for like—what? Six months?"
"Something like that," Wade says. "She's blind and evil, and generally awesome."
Weas continues, "I don't know the whole story, but she needs to be out by the middle of December. And considering that she's old and you and I are basically the only sort of family she has, I…" Weasel pauses a moment before saying, "I was going to have her move in with us."
"Okay." Wade rubs his chin, and says, "I mean, I'm cool with that, but we're definitely going to need a bigger place."
"That's the other thing," Weasel says. "Since you moved in here and started paying half the rent, I've put away a lot of money. And I'm halfway thinking about looking for a house to buy."
Wade nods. "Okay."
Weasel frowns. "Is that all you have to say? Because I really do want to know what you think about this since you're like my platonic lifemate and all."
Wade laughs, and says, "No, I mean. Yeah. I like the idea. And I've got that money in savings from the stocks and everything, so I'll throw in on a down payment or pay the mortgage or whatever. I ain't gonna abandon you, baby."
"But Al," Weasel says. "Are you cool with her living with us?"
"Are you kidding?" Wade says. "I love that crazy old lady." Then he snaps his fingers, and says, "Don't ever tell her I said that. I don't want her to get the wrong idea."
Weasel grins, and says, "Awesome. I figure I'll have Bob look into properties. He's almost as good of a real estate agent as he is a dungeon master."
"Dungeon master?" Kate says, sounding a mix of worried and amused.
"Dungeons and Dragons," Wade and Weasel say in unison.
Kate laughs and shakes her head. "You two are such nerds."
"You haven't seen nerdy until you see us on pay-per-view nights," Wade says. Then he looks at Weasel and says, "How big of a place are we getting?"
Weasel smiles, gesturing with his head towards Kate. "Big enough for everyone."
Wade grins. "See, this is why I love you."
Weasel says, "I know."
"You know, if it wasn't for the fact that you don't like boys…" Wade says with a grin.
Weasel shrugs. "You find the boy you need. I'll find the girl, and we can all snuggle like the big weird family we're destined to be."
"I think he's already found the boy," Kate says and she and Weasel fist bump.
Yes. True. As far as Wade is concerned, he's found The One. Or at least one who has a strong potential to be The One. There are so many things that he has imagined involving Peter, but his favorite fantasies involve sitting on the couch together reading or cuddling on a rainy day. Maybe that makes Wade a sap, but he's had enough sex that there isn't that much that will surprise him any more. But someone he can talk to for hours and not get bored? Someone who isn't freaked out that he's a human version of a patchwork quilt? Someone who is on board with waiting to get freaky because of squishy lovey dovey feelings?
That would be a novel experience.