Chapter Eight

Two days, six hours after the disintegration

"Spidey!" Deadpool yelled out, their arms stretched out in the air. "You're back, Baby!"

Peter had to smile at the grinning mercenary. He nodded contentedly.

"Can I have a hug?" Wade asked respectfully. After Peter nodded again, he was enveloped in their crushing embrace. "I'm so sorry. I get carried away, y'know? You were so fun to tease, love, but I didn't mean-"

"Wade- can't- I can't breathe-" The mercenary released him immediately. Peter gasped for air. Deadpool was incredibly strong.

"Fuck fuck fuck fuck! See, this is what I mean, Sweet-Cheeks, I get so carried away, I get so goddamn excited, and I didn't mean to make you run away, and fuck, I missed you, but Vision said-"

"Wade," Peter said softly. "It's okay. I was just feeling overwhelmed. Can we go somewhere else to talk?" He whispered, feeling the sideways glances of the other heroes.

"Anything for you. I mean- uh, sure," Deadpool said, and Peter almost missed the way they cursed under their breath afterward.

"I'm not mad at you," Spider-Man said calmly. "I just needed some time alone to process stuff."

Wade sighed with faux annoyance. "I wish I could relate. I need constant attention." They were only half-joking, Peter realized.

A moment passed. "Have you ever been in love?" Spider-Man blurted out.

Deadpool stared at him. "Yes," they said, and their voice was low and serious. "Twice."

Spidey pulled off his mask. "Can you tell me about it?"

"Her name was Vanessa," Wade said after a moment's pause. "She wouldn't shut up, like me." They chuckled softly.

"Sorry," Peter said slowly. "You don't have to talk about it."

"No, it's okay, baby, I want to." Spider-Man didn't know why he shivered at the nickname when Wade had called him so many other names in the past few days. This felt... intimate.

"She was beautiful, love, she was so beautiful. I paid her like two-hundred bucks to just take her out on a date."

"What?"

"She was a prostitute."

"Oh." Peter's jaw dropped.

"That was back before I had all this," They gestured to their face, still covered by the mask. "Right after the army. Dishonorable discharge." Wade laughed. "I was makin' bank from the little guy, Sweetie. I'd rough up a stalker or two and then cash out. That was a good life."

Spider-Man waited for them to continue.

"Cancer sucked ass, baby. I was so scared. I knew I was gonna die, so I left V for the sketchy warehouse that fucked up my face. I hunted those motherfuckers for over a year. I finally had the courage to talk to V, and she accepted me, fucked up face and all."

They swallowed hard. "And then," Wade said quietly, almost a whisper. "After a year, I lost her. Stupid, stupid mistake. I could've... I know, White, I know. Shut up."

Peter took their strong hand and laced their fingers with his. But Wade was okay. They weren't crying; they were calming down with Spider-Man's touch.

"I'm over it, honey, I swear. It's okay. Thanks."

Peter felt something stir in his chest, and before he could question himself, he stretched and kissed Wade on the cheek, over their mask. Wade's reaction was not what he expected, but Peter thought that the merc was so unpredictable that he should stop assuming things from them.

They fell over. Wade was actually swooning. They landed on their back into the sand, their hands covering their mask's eyes.

"Baby..." they groaned.

"Um... Wade? Are you okay? Should I not have-"

The merc sat up quickly, and asked breathlessly, "Can I touch your face?"

Peter nodded, confused, but then sighed involuntarily when their gloved hands glossed over his jaw. One hand left his cheek, and he almost whined at the lack of contact, but it was only so that the merc rip off their mask, their expression one of awe, oddly enough.

"Peter," Wade said, their voice was deep and hazy. "Can I kiss you?"

His breath hitched, and the word was caught in his throat, so he signed instead.

Please, his hands were sloppy and sluggish. I need it.

Wade smirked, just for a moment before brushing their lips across his cheek. Peter twisted his neck to seal the kiss, and Wade's rough skin felt so good under his soft lips. There was no tongue and no fighting for control, It was just Wade, and Peter could feel their heart beating quickly, and their mouth was so incredibly warm. Wade was an exceptional kisser, Peter thought, and he never wanted to stop. It was just so intimate; Peter had never felt a kiss this intimate.

Wade pulled away reluctantly, their eyes still glossy with lust. "Okay?" They asked, breathing hard.

"God," Peter couldn't seem to form sentences. "So good."

Wade grinned, showing teeth, and Peter scooted onto their lap. He pushed his face into their chest to feel Wade's rapid heartbeat. Peter traced light circles over the leather suit and sighed contentedly.

The mercenary ruffled Spider-Man's hair affectionately with one hand, and their other hand traveled to Peter's side. He felt so warm and safe with Wade, and he never wanted to be anywhere else.

Peter started worrying when he realized what had just happened.

"W-Wade?" He said, voice shaky.

"Are you okay, baby?" The merc asked, concerned.

"Yeah, I just- um... how old are you?"

They laughed. "That's what you're worried about, Sweetie?" Peter nodded slightly. "I'm thirty-two."

They shifted nervously. "Baby, as long as you're legal, I'm okay with it," Wade added quickly.

"Okay..." It was only fourteen years. That's not the end of the world, Peter supposed, especially when the kiss was that good.

"I'll never, ever take advantage of you, love, for your age or for any other reason." Wade was sincere.

"I know." Peter did know. He trusted Wade to listen and always ask before they did something. But the age wasn't the biggest hurdle in their relationship (Was it a relationship? What's a relationship?).

"I need to talk to you about something else," Peter said nervously.

"Go for it, babe."

"The only other thing that's holding me back is- well... you kill people. For money. I can't- that's not morally right, in my book."

Wade dropped their hands. "Well, for one, it doesn't seem to be holding you back." They smirked when Spider-Man blushed. "And two, I don't know how else to support myself. I mean, if we were trapped in this heaven forever, I'd never kill again, 'less someone was tryna kill me or you. But on Earth... I just don't know."

"You still think this is heaven?"

"It's a new development, Sweetie. You just let me kiss you. It has to be heaven."

Peter couldn't help grinning.

"I just hope the author will be nice enough to let us stay here for a while..." Wade mused.

"What?"

"You know, of this fic."

"I'm sorry?"

"Never mind. No one ever understands that one." Wade was smiling anyway.

"Maybe I shouldn't blame you for killing people," Peter wondered out loud.

"I'd be okay with that," Wade added unhelpfully.

"Shut up." He playfully slapped their chest. "Everyone's morals are different."

"And I'm stunningly attractive," Deadpool supplied.

Peter chose to ignore that comment, even though he might agree.

"I just... who am I to judge?" He asked. "And you don't kill for nothing, right? It's only people who've done something to another person?"

"Yeah," Deadpool said roughly. "Sex offenders, terrorists, overly-zealous stalkers, murderers: that's pretty much my clientele."

"Oh." That was definitely preferable. "How many...?" Peter couldn't seem to finish that sentence.

"Over two-hundred, now," Wade looked a little nervous. "Forty-one in the army. I've lost count elsewhere."

Spider-Man was beginning to question all of his morals.

"Okay." He said a little breathlessly.

"Okay?" Wade raised his eyebrows. "Does that mean I can kiss you again?"

Peter nodded, and their lips met his own.