Sometime between them getting off the subway and them reaching Wade's apartment complex, it had started raining. They were both drenched and laughing, standing outside of the front entrance.

"Do you wanna come in? It's cold and wet and I don't want you to have to walk all the way home in the rain by yourself."

"I don't know, I mean-"

"I have hot chocolate and some unopened Christmas pajamas with your name on 'em," Wade persuaded. "Well not literally your name, they have little reindeer and an inhumanly round santa, but you know what I mean."

Peter thought about it for a moment before smiling.

"Okay."

Wade let the shivering Peter into his apartment and shut the door behind them. He found the light switch and walked past Peter into the living room.

"Home, sweet home."

"It's… cute."

"'Cute?' Like, Grandma's house cute, or like 'I couldn't come up with a better word without sounding offensive' cute?" Wade said as he walked into his bedroom to find the pajamas.

"Oh, no no…I just mean, it's very… you."

"So, the second one, then," Wade responded, walking back with the pajamas for Peter and a shirt and pants for himself.

Peter gave Wade a look as he took the pajamas, red and with the exact reindeer and round santa Wade described.

Peter surveyed the small, one bedroom apartment, with minimal furnishings, yet a lot of personality. Wade had a worn brown couch with a few stains and a little coffee table in front of it, a similarly colored but considerably less stained brown armchair, a small tv across the room, and a shelf on the far wall, littered with dvds, cds, and little nerdy trinkets of superheroes, anime characters, and…

"Is that Elsa?"

"That's Queen Elsa, to you."

"She's not the only queen here…"

"If you thought I'd take offense to that you're highly mistaken, Peter darling."

There were a few posters on the walls, random decorations, string lights, curtains, and other eccentricities littered about the apartment, none of which coordinated with the other. The kitchen, if you could call it that, was connected to the living room and had a small square table with one chair. The only decoration being a fat chef holding a chalk board sign that said "Chef Wade." The bedroom, on the opposite wall of the front door, contained the only bathroom.

"If it's alright, I'm gonna go change," Peter said, nodding his head towards Wade's bedroom.

"Of course," Wade gestured with an arm.

Peter crossed by Wade and walked into the bedroom and closed the door. Wade sat down on the couch and turned on the tv to see if anything was on.

As Peter walked through Wade's room to get to the bathroom, he noticed the lack of personality the room had. There was only a bed and a night stand on one side and a small desk across from it. The mostly empty room felt like such a contrast to the room he was just in. Peter made his way into the bathroom to get changed.

After hanging his clothes over the shower rod, mussing his damp hair a bit, and checking his teeth, Peter walked out of the bathroom in his new, less-damp outfit. He was about to open the door when he saw a small picture frame on Wade's desk. He picked it up to get a better look, and saw a woman and a small boy. The boy was undoubtedly a young Wade, tiny little red hearts adorning his smiling face, a smile Peter recognized almost before the scars. He remembered Wade telling him that he'd had the scars since birth. (Well, actually he sang it: "I was born this way, hey!") Peter smiled fondly at the memory and looked to the woman he guessed was Wade's mother. She looked young as well, couldn't be much older than he and Wade were now. She had beautiful blonde hair, just like little Wade, and was wearing the same smile. She, however, was missing the tiny hearts. Peter ran his fingers over the picture, wiping some dust away before putting it down and walking back into the living room.

"Took you long enough," Wade said as soon as Peter was back in the room. "And you called me the queen."

Peter noticed that Wade, now standing, had changed as well, and had put on the shirt and shorts he'd brought out with the pajamas.

Peter was taken aback. He knew the hearts were all over Wade, Wade had told him the night before at the coffeeshop, but he hadn't imagined it to look like this. Peter knew he was staring, but he couldn't tear his eyes away. Wade's arms and legs were just like his face, only these scars were different. Peter saw that there were maybe 20 "broken" hearts for every full one. Peter didn't really understand the scars, but he was almost positive that he saw the scars on Wade's face change the night before, and the fact that there were so many "broken" ones made Peter sad and angry at whatever caused them to look that way. He didn't realize it had shown on his face until Wade spoke up.

"Sorry. This is what I usually wear to bed. I can change if—"

"No! Uh, no, it's—it's okay Wade. I'm sorry for staring."

Peter hadn't noticed how he had been gradually getting closer until Wade plopped down on the couch, ripping Peter from his daze.

"I, uh, found a movie we could watch," Wade pointed at the TV. "I know we just came from a movie, but as soon as we walked in I realized… I-I don't have much for entertainment."

"It's okay, Wade," Peter said as he sat down next to Wade. "I feel like we owe it to ourselves to watch a decent movie after how much of a fail the other one was."

"Well, if you think Hallmark movies are decent."

They sat in silence for some time, both staring at some old western classic on the tv that neither really seemed into. Peter could feel the tension coming off of Wade more and more as the minutes passed. He felt bad that he had been staring at Wade for so long and he knew the scarred man thought Peter had been totally grossed out. Which was the opposite of what really happened. And Peter needed Wade to know that.

"Hey, Wad-"

"I'm gonna go ge-"

They stared at each other a moment before smiling.

"Sorry, what were you saying?"

"You go first."

"Uh," Wade started awkwardly, "okay, well I was just gonna go get my hoodie."

"Oh. Are you cold?"

"No," Wade looked down at the couch.

"Then why-"

"Well I just thought, you know, it might be easier for both of us if I covered up. There's no need for me to be showing this much skin, I mean, it's only the first date, and I don't want you to think I'm that kind of girl, you know? Heh."

Wade got up and moved towards his room before he felt a soft hand grab his rough one.

"Wade. Please, sit down."

Wade stood still for a moment and then looked back at Peter.

"But-"

"You don't need to cover up. Like I said before, I don't care what you wear. That includes tank tops and booty shorts."

"You call these booty shorts? Honey, you ain't seen nothin' yet."

"Wade, I'm serious."

Wade took a deep breath and sat down on the couch again, this time he sat sideways facing Peter. Peter himself turned sideways so he could stare directly at Wade. They sat like that for a few minutes, Peter still holding on to Wade's hand.

"So," Peter finally said, breaking the silence, "Does it hurt?"

Wade was taken aback by the question. Everyone usually just laughed or looked at him with pity because of how ugly he was. No one had ever asked if it hurts.

"Uh, not really anymore. When I was younger, I remember I had to get shots every month so the pain would go away. I stopped after…after my mom died. So many of them broke then. The pain I felt was probably the worst I've felt my whole life. The shots didn't help. After a few weeks of the constant agony, I couldn't feel anything anymore. Including emotions. I didn't need the shots anymore. And when the inevitably pain came back, I refused to take them ever again. I've kind of gotten used to it by now. The only time I really feel them now is…when they break apart."

"Can…can I touch you?"

Wade nodded his head softly as he looked at the ground behind Peter. He felt Peter release his hand, as smooth fingers lightly touched his face. He took a shaky breath as Peter's fingers brushed across the coarse texture of his cheek. Wade didn't realize he'd closed his eyes until he felt Peter's thumb graze over his eyelashes.

"Does it hurt when I touch you?" Peter asked, running the thumb down to trace over Wade's lips.

"N-no," Wade spoke in barely a whisper.

"When they re-form?"

Wade cleared his throat and looked up at Peter.

"I don't even feel it. At all. It took me a long time to figure that out, actually. Not like I had many chances to figure it out anyway."

"What do you mean?"

"Have you seen my face? Not many people are nice to freaks like me."

"Hey, you're not a freak, Wade."

"Ha, tell that to the voices in my head," Wade said, trying to sound casual but instead sounding terrified.

"Okay."

"Wha-"

Wade felt his head being gently pulled towards Peter's face.

"You're not a freak." Peter's mouth was against Wade's forehead as he spoke, as if he was actually trying to tell the voices in his head. "You're beautiful. And handsome. And funny and so kind and you ramble when you're nervous and you had a pet dog named Ira when you were 5 and call yourself 'Chef Wade' and you talk in funny accents…and-"

Wade wasn't sure when he started crying; Peter seemed to notice at the same time he did. Without a moment's notice, Peter lifted Wade's face up to his and pressed their lips together. They stayed like that for several seconds, the only movement Wade's occasional sobs. Finally, Peter pulled away and looked at that scarred face, flushed red and wet with tears. Wade opened his eyes when he felt Peter's hands again on his face. Peter was wearing a small smile as he gently wiped Wade's face clean. Wade couldn't help but smile too. No one had been this kind to him in a very long time, and it warmed his heart to have someone who he'd only met the night before treating him with more kindness than he ever thought he deserved. He hated himself for falling so quickly, and if he didn't know any better, he would have told Peter he loved him right then and there. Instead, he said the next best thing:

"Thank you."

1 Year Later

Peter was pacing back and forth, waiting for Wade to return to his, er their, apartment. He'd sent him out to buy new lightbulbs because somehow all of the lightbulbs in the apartment stopped working at the same time…

Okay, Peter really just needed Wade to leave the apartment while he set up candles, put on mood music, and ordered take out from their favorite taco place down the street. Everything was ready, the only thing missing was Wade. Meaning, as he waited, Peter had time to psych himself out that he would mess the whole evening up.

Eventually, Peter heard footsteps out in the hall which meant Wade was about to walk in. Peter ran to the door and opened it just as a little old lady who lived next door was walking by. Peter's face fell as he saw the old woman jump in surprise.

"Sorry, Ms. Finkleman…"

Ms. Finkleman muttered something about how she "thought it was bad before, and now there's two of 'em" while Peter, thoroughly embarrassed, shut the door. He was about to call Wade when the door swung back open.

"Yeah, you too, Ms. Fink! Good night!" Wade called out as he walked in. "Oh, what a woman…uhh, what's going on in here?"

"Happy Anniversary, Wade."

Wade set the lightbulbs down on the couch and walked over to Peter in the kitchen.

"Anniversary?"

"Of the first day we met."

"Oh, thank God. I thought we'd gotten married and I somehow forgot."

Not yet, anyway, Peter thought.

"Actually, Wade. I'd like to talk to you about something."

"Are you breaking up with me?" Wade said dramatically.

"Wha- do you really think I set this all up to break up with you?"

"I don't know, it could be like one of those "last supper" things."

Peter just smiled and shook his head, then took Wade's hands in his own.

"No, Wade. I need to ask you something."

Peter dropped to one knee and pulled a little box out of his pocket.

"Will you marry me?"

Wade's mouth opened and he smiled. Immediately, he bent over and kissed Peter, pulling him to stand up. They both started grinning like complete idiots and pulled apart.

"So, is that a yes?" Peter said with a smirk.

"You bet your tight ass it's a yes."

"Oh, I have a tight ass? I thought that was you."

"Well, yeah. But not for much longer."

Wade winked and walked Peter over to the couch.

"Lewd."

"Oh, you know it."

Wade pushed Peter over the arm of the couch, ready to climb on top when there was a loud crunch!

"…Wade-"

"I'll get more lightbulbs tomorrow."