Part 7

New Year's Eve

Tony feels like he went to sleep on Boxing Day and woke up on New Year's Eve. That's the only explanation he can find as to how the time has gone by so quickly.

Mama had returned home yesterday, much to everyone's disappointment, and May had been called in to work some extra shifts so had driven back to New York on the same day, leaving Peter in the care of the Avengers. Laura had taken the kids on to her parents' house the day after Boxing Day, leaving Clint, who apparently had little say in the matter, to catch up with the rest of the team. Tony had organised for a car to take them, rather than taking them in the jet for comfort's sake.

So now it was just the group of superheroes that had been left to their own devices. What's the worst that could happen right?

Except when Tony had asked Steve that question he'd just been answered with a raised eyebrow, fond smile and shake of the head. So he's not entirely sure what the worst is that could happen. He did promise Steve to not leave any projects running in the background though.

Steve had insisted they all dress 'smart', which is the reason Tony is in the situation he is in. He needs to have some strong words with his boyfriend.

'Look Stark as much as I appreciate the offer I very much doubt I'll fit into any of your stuff,' Wade sighs, lingering at the entrance to Tony and Steve's walk-in wardrobe.

'I might not,' Tony huffs, 'but Steve should. If not we'll raid someone else's wardrobe. Now get in here so we can find you something and I actually have time to get ready myself.'

'But-'

'Wade Wilson get your arse in here and try these on,' he throws a few pairs of suit trousers at the man and then goes to look at Steve's shirts.

'Are you sure he's not going to mind?' the man asks as he does as he's told.

'I bought basically everything in this wardrobe and half of it he's never worn in the first place. If he does decide he wants to complain after offering for you to borrow something, then I shall remind him of that fact. Any of them fit?'

'A little loose but nothing a belt won't fix- ow! Give a guy some warning,' Wade grumbles as the aforementioned item of clothing hits him in the chest. 'You know I'm still kind of getting used to the fact that very few of you seem bothered by my scars. There's not many people would let me try on new clothes around them.'

Tony pauses, then start to unbutton his shirt and turns around.

'Woah, hey dude, yeah no we're not at that level of friendship yet-'

'Shut up,' he says, pulling open the top of his shirt and revealing the pattern of scars on his chest from the old reactor. He sees Wade's eyes go wide. 'Some of us have scars that other people put there as well. We're not going to judge you for your scars, when my chest was ripped open, Bucky's missing an arm, and one of our friends turns into a giant green rage monster.'

'I- I'm-'

'Shut up and put this shirt on. Now go get ready so I can make myself look so attractive my boyfriend won't let me stay at the party.'

'That is definitely an image I didn't need,' Wade says as he walks out of the wardrobe, Tony just laughs and goes back to choosing his own outfit.

'You wanted to speak to me, Tony?' Peter says, knocking on the door to the bedroom and easing it open.

'Come on in, Pete,' he says, doing his tie in the mirror, 'you get the shirt I left for you.'

'Yeah but I don't have any cufflinks so I may have to roll the sleeves up,' he admits, 'not that I'm not grateful! It's great, and it's really comfy-'

Tony laughs and gestures to the desk, where a small black box is sitting. 'One step ahead of you, kid.'

Peter frowns in confusion, then goes to pick up the box, his eyes go wide when he opens it. 'Wow these are for me? How did you get them with the web design?'

'Got them made for you,' Tony says, coming over to help the kid put them on. 'I would have left them in your room but I wanted to talk to you about Wade.'

'Err… ok?' Peter can't escape because Tony has hold of his sleeve.

'Relax, kid,' he chuckles. 'I just want you to know that I approve.'

'Approve of?'

Tony rolls his eyes as he takes hold of the kid's other sleeve. 'Stop playing dumb. The way you look at him I'm surprised your Aunt May didn't lock you in your room and refuse to let you out.'

'What-' the kid squeaks.

'Calm down,' he takes hold of the teen's shoulders. 'And listen before you panic. I just said I approved. It's obvious you've got stronger feelings than friendship for the guy, Peter. I won't lie and say I wasn't terrified when I first realised, but then I talked to him on Christmas Day and I'd decided after that he was good enough for you. Though, Steve was quick to point out that no one will ever be good enough for you in my book, he's as close as you're going to get. Besides,' he shrugs and releases Peter's shoulders, a small smile at the boy's shocked expression, 'if his first instinct to protect you from snowballs is to wrap his own body around you, I think he can keep you safe when you're fighting the bad guys together. Anyone who's willing to protect you with their own life is good in my book.'

'Are you actually encouraging me to get into a relationship with an insane mercenary?'

'Encourage might be too strong a word,' he ruffles the kid's hair, 'but I'm saying that if you do decide this is what you want to do then you have my full support. Which means I won't let Bucky kill him.'

'Err.. thanks?'

'Pete? Don't be scared to take a risk with him. God knows Steve and I danced around each other for far too long, do me a favour and learn from my mistakes. It's obvious the guy is crazy about you. Now go on and get upstairs, I'll be up in a minute. And don't let Bucky wind you up.'

'Right, yeah… sure thing, Tony,' Peter sounds a little dazed as he leaves the room.

Tony would be lying if he said he wasn't a little bit nervous about how this night would turn out, he wasn't exactly looking forwards to the kid growing up a little bit more. He sighs and shrugs on his suit jacket and decides to go and find his boyfriend. If anyone can calm him down it'll be Steve.

The evening has been entertaining to say the least. Peter watches, grinning to himself, as Steve continues to scold Bucky; the Winter Soldier had tried to sneak him some alcohol to try, but Steve had caught them before Peter had been able to take a sip.

'You were trying to give alcohol to an underage kid,' Steve says for what must be the fifth time in the argument.

'Oh come on! He's taken out supervillains I'm sure he can handle one beer,' the dark haired man counters.

'If it counts I agree!' Peter pipes up, then quickly shuts up again as Steve frowns at him.

'That's hardly the point.'

'Besides surely it's better he starts trying drink when he's with people he can trust rather than kids his own age that are just going to try and get him drunk,' Bucky counters.

'He does have a point, honey,' Tony enters the argument.

'Don't you encourage either of them,' the blond points a finger at his boyfriend and the inventor puts his hands in the air and backs off.

'Sorry Bucky you're on your own.'

'Gee thanks,' the man rolls his eyes. 'Steve it was going to be one beer. It's New Year. It's a party. Let the kid live a little.'

'James Buchanan Barnes don't you think that argument is going to work on me.'

'Oh wow he got the full name treatment,' Clint pipes up. 'Now you know he's in trouble.' He hands Peter a beer. 'Bottoms up kid!'

'Clint!'

'And I'm going to hide behind Nat,' the archer says, leaping over the sofa. Peter grins and goes to take a swig when the bottle is snatched from his hand.

'Hey!' he turns round to see a grinning Wade.

'Sorry Baby Boy but this is a grown ups drink.'

'See? Wade knows what he's talking about,' Steve says.

Bucky looks at his friend in despair. 'It's sad day when that phrase comes out of your mouth.' Then he rounds on the mercenary. 'And shouldn't you be encouraging wild behaviour?'

'Why?'

'Because you're a nutcase!'

'Doesn't mean I'm going to encourage underage drinking. I might be crazy but I'm not totally irresponsible.'

'What-'

'Alright that's enough children!' Tony cuts across the argument. 'We've only got a couple of minutes until midnight and I'm not seeing the New Year in with an argument. Wade give the kid half the beer and then everyone's happy.'

'Everyone's happy? Tony I'm not-' Tony cuts Steve off with a kiss then rolls his eyes and shoves him towards the bar. Bucky chuckles and goes to join Sam and Rhodes in a conversation.

'So apparently Papa Tin Can says you have half,' Wade chuckles, handing the bottle back to Peter.

Peter winks at Wade then downs the bottle; the mercenary's eyes go wide. When he finishes he wipes his mouth with the back of his hand and shrugs. 'Never specified which half.'

Wade bursts out laughing and shakes his head. 'I think I'm rubbing off on you.'

'I like to think of it as you improving what was already there.'

Wade rubs the back of his head, and looks out of the window.

'Wade you alright?'

'Yeah, yeah, uh,' he pauses, then looks back at him, 'hey Baby Boy? Can I ask you a question?'

'Pretty sure you just did, but you can ask me another one.'

'So…' he trails off, looking unsure.

Peter looks at the man, wearing a pair of black trousers and a dark blue shirt that only just fit around his toned body, and a look of complete uncertainty on his face. He takes hold of the man's hand and gives it a squeeze. 'Come on, Pool, you know you can ask me anything,' he says softly.

When Wade looks back at him, he can't tear his eyes away from the brown ones looking back at him and his chest feels tight, like he can't breathe. 'Yeah, well… I just…' he sighs and, taking a deep breath, starts again. 'Even before coming here you were the most important person in my life, Baby Boy, and now after this last week I'm thinking that if you weren't in it that it'd be just one long shit show after eating fifty gone off vindaloo. And I know I'm not exactly Prince fucking Charming; I mean I look like someone hate fucked an Egyptian mummy, my job isn't exactly shit free, and my personality leaves something to be desired but-' Wade's eyes skim over his face, making him wonder if he's looking for courage to carry on or a reason to shut up. 'Well I guess what I'm trying to say, not so eloquently, is: if you'll have me Baby Boy I'd have your back outside of patrols as well as in and, well, want to go grab some tacos some time?'

'Wait, like outside of patrol?' Peter knows his voice sounds a bit squeaky. 'Like… what like a date?'

'Well, yeah?'

'Seriously?' Peter blinks in surprise. 'Me?'

Wade scoffs. 'I'd have to be blind or an idiot not to ask you on a date at least once, Spidey.'

'But… but I'm… well… me.'

'Exactly,' Wade brushes a thumb over his cheek, and Peter feels goosebumps following the digit.

There's the sound of a clock timing as FRIDAY announces the start of the new year and everyone starts a chorus of 'Happy New Year!' Peter turns to look at everyone and sees Wanda give Vision a quick kiss on the lips, the humanoid actually managing to look surprised; Tony and Steve are sharing a kiss to welcome in the new year. So Peter does the only thing he can think of.

'Well, uh, happy new year, Spidey,' Wade says, 'you uh, you want to go on that date or would you rather not and-'

Peter cuts him off by reaching up, using his wall climbing ability to grab onto the merc's shoulders and levering himself up to press a kiss to the merc's mouth. He can tell the man's surprised as it takes him a couple of moments to think to wrap his arms around his waist.

When they break apart Peter's grinning and there's an answering one on Wade's face. 'So I take it that's a yes?'

'Do I really have to spell it out for you? Of course it is you idiot!'

'About bloody time!' Peter turns at the sound of Tony's shout and suddenly remembers everyone else in the room.

'Oh yeah, forgot about them,' he mutters to Wade.

'Hang on,' Bucky's frowning in confusion. 'Since when is Pete gay?'

Clint bursts out laughing. 'You're more concerned about that than the fact you've just seen him kissing Deadpool?'

Bucky blinks and seems to take in what's just happened. 'Oh yeah… that's a very good point. You're dead Wilson.'

Steve puts his friend in a head lock. 'Buck, you keep on that train of thought and I'm going to let Tony put you on your backside.'

'Like he could,' Bucky scoffs, though the effect is lost as it's muffled in Steve's stomach. 'Alright let me go you punk!' When he's let go he rubs his neck and looks at Steve. 'You seriously telling me you're okay with this?'

Steve shrugs. 'Not my call, neither is it yours.'

'What? Tony? Come on! Back me up here.'

Tony shakes his head. 'Peter is old enough to make his own decisions, Bucky. Besides like you said: he's taken out supervillains. If that doesn't mean he can't choose who to date I'm not sure what does. And anyway Wade knows he has my blessing.'

'What?!' a series of voices chorus in unison. Peter can't help the grin on his face.

Wade wraps an arm around his waist and pulls Peter so he's leaning back against him. 'Thanks, Tin Can.'

'Yeah no, never call me that again.'

Peter laughs. 'I told you so.'

'How come Wanda and Nat aren't surprised?' Sam asks, looking at the two women.

'Oh Pete told me about his crush ages ago,' Wanda waves the question off.

Peter frowns. 'No I didn't. I didn't even realise myself until recently!'

Wanda just rolls her eyes. 'You basically did. All you could talk about was Deadpool for ages.'

'Oh really?' Wade chuckles.

'Shut up,' Peter mutters, knowing he's turning bright red.

Natasha just shrugs. 'Makes a lot of sense to be honest, definitely explains a few things.'

'Am I the only one who didn't see this coming?' Bucky demands.

'I didn't,' Sam says.

'Me neither,' Rhodes adds.

'I suspected there was something,' Vision shrugs, 'and Wanda may have hinted.'

'Oh come on the kid threatened to put me on my arse when I looked at the guy funny,' Clint says, 'either they're brothers or there was something else going on. Not even Steve looked like that when someone threatened Bucky.'

'Anyway!' Peter cuts across before anyone else can say anything to embarrass him. 'Aren't we supposed to be having a party to celebrate the new year?'

'Alright you lot, show's over! Leave the poor kid alone, he puts up with enough from you lot as it is. And before anyone says anything, I've already threatened Wade if he hurts Pete, or tries anything over PG13 before he's eighteen,' Tony says.

'What?!' Peter shouts, nearly jumping out of Wade's grip as everyone laughs and turns back to what they were saying. 'Why would you do that?'

'Calm down, Baby Boy,' Wade laughs, trying to hold onto a wriggling Spider-Man.

'God this is so embarrassing,' he whines, settling down in the man's arm. 'They're worse than May! It's like having far too many parents in the same room.'

'They care about you, Petey-Pie, so I'm sure you can cope. I know I can.'

'Really? Petey-Pie? That's not staying.'

'Sure it is!'

'No it isn't. Not if you want your mouth to stay unwebbed,' he grumbles.

'You're lucky your charming good looks make up for your less than charming personality, Spidey.'

'Yeah, yeah,' Peter rolls his eyes, then lets the merc's words sink in. 'Why do you want me, Wade?'

The man frowns. 'Is that a serious question? Because I'm pretty sure it should be me asking you that.'

'But…it's just me, Wade. I'm not exactly anything special.'

Wade tightens his arm around his waist and pulls him with him out of the door onto the balcony. 'You want to tell me what's going on in your head Baby Boy?'

Peter looks out towards the giant Christmas tree Bucky had won a couple of weeks ago, leaning half on the rail and half into Wade's warmth. 'I'm just… I'm just surprised that you'd want me I guess. I mean I'm still a kid, and apart from getting bitten by a radioactive spider there's nothing that special about me. Even that was special in a whole different way; like stupid kind of special. I'm just the geeky kid that gets picked on at school, then spends my evenings swinging around the city pretending to be a superhero.'

'You are a superhero,' the man says, tightening his arm around his waist, 'trust me I've seen you in action enough times to know. But you want to know how I realised just how special you really are, Baby Boy? You're the only person since I got my scars to look at me without some form of shock on your face.' Peter looks up at the man in surprise, and only sees sincerity in his brown eyes. 'I took off my mask and you smiled¸ Pete. Then you asked if they hurt me.'

'Pretty sure I also called you a drama queen,' he chuckles.

'Well yeah, but you weren't wrong,' Wade wraps another arm around him and pulls him closer, reaching up with a finger to tilt his chin up. 'You see someone like me and your first reaction is to see if you can help them, Pete, if that doesn't make you someone special I don't know what does.' He leans down and captures Peter's lips with him own. This kiss is far less unsure than any of the others they've shared, and Peter feels his body melt against the mercenary's. He's pretty sure if Wade wasn't holding onto him, he would have fallen in a puddle at the man's feet. And that is definitely something he didn't need Bucky to see.

'Wow,' he says when the man pulls away.

Wade laughs. 'If you're still having that reaction in a couple of months' time I'll be a happy man.'

'If you're still kissing me like that in a couple of months' time I'll be a happy man,' Peter chuckles.

'Yeah well like I said I'd have to be blind or an idiot to not want to take you on a date. Especially since I've seen that ass in spandex.'

'And you were doing so well,' Peter groans as he lets Wade lead him back inside, though he can't help the smile on his face, especially when he catches Tony's eye and the man raises his glass to him in a silent toast.

A/N: Hey everyone. This is the last chapter of the Christmas special! Thank you so much to everyone who has read this story, your reviews and support have been making me smile so much through a bit of a tough time. I honestly cannot thank you enough.

This has been so well received I'm actually tempted to do a couple more specials as spin-offs from 'Restoration' so if you haven't gotten around to reading it yet head over to the main story and take a look. Any suggestions for any other 'specials' will be gratefully received.

Do let me know what you think: what worked well and what didn't. It'll definitely affect how I do things in the future so don't be afraid to let me know what you think. I can take criticism I promise. And I really hope you liked the Spideypool! I had to make a point that everyone was concerned about the age gap seeing as Peter was so young, and I'd be interested to know what you think about how they handled it.

All that's left to say is another big thank you! I hope you enjoy all the other ramblings I come out with in the future.

Love to you all!

L x