A/N: Prompt Five: Write a chapter in which a character learns something unexpected.
Wade's arm was around Peter's shoulders again.
It made walking awkward, but neither of them complained.
"This is my stop." Wade said suddenly.
"You live in an apartment building?" Peter asked in surprise.
Wade shrugged. "Want to come up? I have an X-Box."
Peter looked at his watch. "Uh, yeah, okay. Your parents won't mind?"
Wade smiled sadly. "Dad doesn't live with me."
"Oh." He paused. "Uh… mother?"
"By myself," Wade told him, then grinned. "It's great. Dad pays me not to live with him, and the government pays me because I don't." He shrugged. "It's perfect."
Peter shot him a concerned look. He couldn't imagine living like that, without Aunt May and Uncle Ben to come home to.
"Come on," Wade said, pulling Peter into the building.
Wade chattered into Peter's ear as they rode the elevator and walked toward his apartment.
"Here we are!" Wade declared. "Isn't it great?"
Peter looked around the room in disgust.
Wade gave him a concerned glance, then slumped. "You don't like it."
"It's a…mess." He pointed out.
Wade spun around. "That's part of its charm!"
Peter picked up a stray piece of pizza. "Charming."
Wade pouted. "Don't be mean."
Peter dropped the pizza and wiped his hand on his jacket. "I'm not…"
Wade pulled him to the couch. "Sit down, I'll get us food."
Peter shook his head. "I'm still full from the chimichangas." They had ended up eating three chimichangas each.
Wade blinked and sat down next to him. "Okay."
Peter looked around again. "You really like it like this?'
Wade shrugged. "Better here than with Dad," he commented, then flushed and looked down.
There was a reassuring squeeze on his leg and he lifted his head to see Peter giving him a small smile.
Wade smiled back and slid closer to him. "So, sport games or Rock Band?"
Peter shrugged. "I don't mind."
Wade picked up the X-Box guitars. "Prepare to have your mind blown with my awesomeness."
~
Peter was sprawled on the couch, his head in Wade's lap.
They'd quickly moved from X-Box to TV to Star Trek marathons.
"What are you talking about? Picard is so much better than Kirk."
Wade gasped. "Blasphemy!"
Peter laughed and hit Wade with a pillow. "Oh, shut up." As he did so, he caught sight of his watch. "5:30! I'm late!"
Wade grabbed his arm. "I can fix that." He began to play with the watch's dial. Peter pulled away his arm.
"Stop that!" He sat up and ran a hand through his hair. "Aunt May is probably freaking out." He flushed, remembering Wade's own family situation. "Anyway, I gotta go."
Wade nodded and stretched as he watched Peter collect his stuff.
After a while, Peter stood over him. "Um, so…"
Wade got up and gestured to the door. "After you."
Peter walked forward and paused in the doorway.
"Did you want me to walk you home?" Wade asked, only half-teasing.
"No that's fine," Peter said. "So, uh, see you."
"Bye! No wait!" he exclaimed.
Peter blinked. "What?" he asked in a worried tone.
"The dance! Are you going? We should go together!" he blathered.
"Yeah I…" His face fell. "Um..no…sorry….I already have a date."
"Oh."
"Yeah."
Wade scratched his head. "Okay then. Bye Peter."
"Bye." Peter said, but he lacked enthusiasm. His face twitched as if he was going to say more.
Wade shut the door.
A/N: the boys are both over sixteen here, so I think Wade'd be allowed to live like that.
Picard is so much better than Kirk.
Aw angst~~~
