Peter moved in his meager belongings a week later. He still had the apartment for another week, but he didn't really want to stay longer than necessary.

The large space had been sectioned off to form a work space for him that was set aside from the living room and open-plan kitchen. Actually, a lot had been done in the past months and while the walls were still bare bricks, the whole look was amazing.

There were now two bedrooms upstairs. Both were connected and both had access to the terrace.

Downstairs were two more rooms that could be used for possible guests, though Peter doubted there would be sleepovers from anyone. Wade was too private for that in the first place and ever since they had anchored and balanced the bond, he was also fiercely territorial. Peter didn't feel inclined to share this place with anyone but his bonded either.

This was only for them.

One of the guest rooms doubled as a TV room that held anything a gamer's heart could wish for. Especially a giant flat screen and whatever gaming console was on the market.

He had no idea how Deadpool could have had all of this installed, but the man knew a whole lot of shady people. And not so shady. Some of them were truly regular guys, hard-working, not a criminal bone in their body. When had he arranged all of that?

Additionally there was a large office space for him and Deadpool's weapons storage. Security was through the roof for that particular room. Deadpool was proud of his collection and he still kept adding to it. Peter suspected he had more than enough to arm a third world country and help them take over a whole continent in one night.

"You really think it's safe to have that much firepower in the building?" Peter asked, looking at the assorted guns and matching ammo.

"Sure."

"What about the other tenants?"

"What other tenants?"

Peter whipped around and stared at the other man, who was wearing his red and black get-up, just without the mask. Deadpool looked almost surprised by the question.

"Who else lives here?"

"Uh." Wade scratched his neck. "No one?"

"No… one…?"

"It's just empty rooms. Well, and us up here. Last two floors."

"Who owns the building?"

"Me?" he said meekly.

Peter stared at him. "Why buy a whole building?"

"Investment? Too much free time and money to spend? Security?" Deadpool listed hesitantly. "I mean, I can rent it out if you want, but that's too much hassle. Or we can do a welfare project, but if I want to shoot something, I usually go downstairs and do it. I also got this insane weights room! It's state-of-the-art and has the latest in machines! Not that you need that. Just.. in case? Have I mentioned the planned lab? If you want one. And movig in together is a big ass step. Really big. Like gigantonormous! Is that a word?"

He tilted his head a little, looking quizzical, then shrugged.

"Anyway. Big step. Right? And we've both been on our own for so long, used to our own space… We might not get along all the time, so there's room to, well, have room? Just ignore each other for a while, pretend we have our own places? Really, it's a blank canvass here and you can start painting it any way you want!"

"Wade," Peter sighed and hugged him, interrupting the waterfall of words.

Deadpool quieted down immediately. Like a switch had been flipped, the erratic words stopped and he relaxed into the embrace.

"It's crazy Sentinel and Guide when you do that," he murmured as strong arms curled around the more slender man.

"Who and what now?"

"Uh, just… alternate universe fusion stuff. Just ignore it. Eerie, though. You touching me and everything calm again. Since the beginning. It never grew less. Do you hear the purrs?"

Peter buried his head against Deadpool's neck, muffling his chuckling. "Yeah, it purrs. And since the chimera is you…"

"Do I get a scratching post and catnip?"

"Not sure the chimera is really a cat."

"It's everything and nothing. Is this okay?" came the careful question.

"The gigantonormous place you own? Yes, it's okay. Utilities will be through the roof, but it's okay."

"Nah, it's not that expensive." He pressed a kiss against Peter's temple.

"According to your bank statements or regular people's?" he teased.

"I can sell it," came the soft offer. "Or donate it as a home for the wayward puppy. You choose the new place. The way you want it."

Peter looked into those dark eyes, saw the doubt and hesitancy, the need to prove to his mate that he could protect him. Underneath all the bluster and loudness was a very unstable person, who needed to reassure himself that Peter was okay with this; with him. Deadpool wasn't that hesitant in the field, when it came to shooting people or blowing stuff up. The moment the mask was off and they were alone, Wade was different.

Peter smiled softly, face open, emotions for Wade to see.

"No. I don't want you to ditch this. I'm just a little overwhelmed."

"Too much?"

"A little."

"Bad Deadpool?"

He chuckled and kissed him, a brief contact of closed lips against closed lips.

"No. Never. This is a great place, Wade. I love it. I'm just trying to adjust to the money involved."

"Because of how I earned it?" There was a touch of steel in the voice now.

He squeezed one strong wrist. "No. Just how fucking much you have."

"Oh." He shrugged. "Is it a lot? I don't know. A lot relative to what? Your student loans? Your temp job? Bill Gates? I just never spend a lot. And people keep offering me more. If I don't take it for services rendered, they think I'm cheap and work sub-standard."

Peter nodded. They had talked at length about their respective pasts and while Wade had a rather loose moral code when it came to shooting someone, he had standards. He didn't kill children and he couldn't take cruelty against them or animals. He would have no qualms to shoot a target, even if he was a family father, if that was what he was being paid for, though.

"I really don't want to know how much there is."

"I… might not even know?" Deadpool hedged.

Peter had to laugh at that. Only Deadpool!

"You're an impossible man."

"Oh, I'm quite possible. I'm here. So I'm possible."

The next kiss was with tongues involved.

SDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSD

Wade had been right. It had been a big step for them to move into a new place together. The chimera wanted its mate safe and would do just about anything, even camp out on Peter's tiny apartment's floor if he had to, to be close. It had been a struggle for the preternaturally gifted man to leave sometimes, knowing the apartment was far from ideal.

Peter had always kind of lived alone. Having the occasional sleep-over from Gwen or MJ didn't really count. It had only ever been his place. Small, affordable, not meant to be a permanent solution, though it had been his home for longer than he had thought it would be.

Now… the new place.

They were both getting used to a lot of things, sharing their lives now, living space, beds.

Peter found out that Wade was actually a pretty decent cook, not just pancakes or tacos. He loved Mexican delivery, but he knew a few nifty little recipes. Peter himself was far from experienced when it came to anything outside 'pour hot water on it' and 'microwave for five minutes'. So he left the kitchen to Wade and only ever entered when it came to grabbing snacks or drinks.

SDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSD

Peter paid back his Aunt from the saved rent. His new job helped pay off the student loans, though Wade offered again and again.

But he had his pride.

Wade might claim that Peter was the one in charge of their relationship if he wanted to, could order him to do anything he wanted, but Wade was the one loaded with endless funds. He had more money than Peter could ever hope to amass, or that Wade could hope to ever spend.

Even if he splurged on some new, fancy ammo now and then. Wade loved his weapons and he loved buying more from obscure sources.

Peter just didn't want to depend on that money. Not because of how it had been earned; he had told the truth that regard. It didn't sit well with him that Wade could pay for everything and he was the poor guy with student loans and an empty savings account.

They were equals, except when it came to funds.

There were arguments now and then, but never too harsh.

Acceptance came slow to Peter, who explored the building and found it was like a fortress and a home in one. He couldn't fathom how much money Wade had sunk into this to make it special, to make it theirs, and it touched something in him.

SDSDSD

"You're okay with it," the merc stated as they lay together, both spent from a wild round of very intense sex.

"Yeah. Sorry I'm so slow in that matter."

Blunt fingers traced over his scars, mapping them gently, and Peter liked the little shivers running through him.

"You're not. Maybe a little overwhelmed. That's a normal reaction around me," Wade quipped.

Peter used his far superior strength to roll them, Wade on his back, and he folded his arms on the broad chest, chin resting on his hands. He gazed into the brown eyes.

"I'm okay with it," he repeated. "All of it. With you and whatever insane funds you have." Peter grinned brightly. "I'm getting laid by a gazillionaire. Tony Stark, eat your heart out."

He lightly straddled the other man and leaned down, proceeding to kiss the living daylights out of his chimera. Wade more than approved, judging by the way his hands roamed over Peter's skin and he answered each kiss with the same ferocity.

SDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSD

Wade sat cross-legged on the bed, eyes on the sleeping form of his little Spideyboy. Peter was fast asleep, sadly all dressed up in pajama bottoms and an old t-shirt, but Wade liked to look at him either naked or all dressed up.

He liked looking. Period. He was a perv. He was a stalker.

Sue him.

Heh. At least try.

Looking at Peter was… nice. Pleasing. Not just aesthetically. It pleased him on a much deeper level. Whether Spider-Man was in motion or just sleeping, Deadpool kept looking.

He hadn't really been aware of how deeply rooted the bond was, how it didn't sway, didn't weaken, remained a strong beacon and an even stronger anchor for him. It was reassuring. Balancing.

And he didn't want to change a thing. He wanted the deeply rooted contentment, the calmness he felt with Peter, the ease of their relationship. Wade Wilson had never been this at peace with himself, the world, his life, everything, since the day he had died.

After watching Vanessa being killed.

For the very first time he thought of her as an old pain, a scar he would always carry with him, but one that had finally been buried under the ashes. It was no longer this dark, sucking hole of agony. He could handle it now, could start living.

He was no longer hollow inside, exhausted from life, chaos and insanity tearing his mind apart. For the first time in his life he felt absolutely content. There was a soul-deep quietness to him, so relaxed and easy. There was no rush, no pressure, no need to move. There was nothing but this feeling of being home.

He would always be crazy, would always run his mouth off, but that was Wade Wilson. It was him, the crazy guy, the slightly insane guy, the man who wouldn't shut up in front of a superior officer and drive his instructors up the wall in frustration.

Deadpool smiled a little. He was suddenly clinging to life with such fierceness, it had surprised him. Death would never be permanent, he knew that, but it wasn't a solution for him anymore.

He still couldn't believe his luck and sometimes he wondered if his brain might have knitted together wrong after the last bullet to the head. Or that knife someone had stuck in there once, too. Could be either way.

No, Deadpool mused, he might just be living in an alternate reality where Spider-Man was his partner, his sex kitten, his mate.

The chimera stretched leisurely, entwined with Peter in a way that made them inseparable. It watched with a cold, calculating gaze, but the wickedly dark terror turned into a fluffy puppy when Peter was involved.

This was real, not a figment of his imagination. The chimera knew it, didn't doubt it. This wasn't a parallel world or an alternative timeline.

Spideyboy in his bed was real.

Wade reached out and ran gentle fingers through the messy bedhead.

Wow.

So nice. So soft.

Real.

And his.

His calm center in the chaos of everything around him, inside him.

Peter never submitted, but he also didn't dominate. He wasn't that kind of person. He was just… Peter. His little spider.

It was what made them so perfect together. Spidey met the dominant predator head-on, without fear or hesitation, and put it back into its place without endangering its alpha status. He walked a fine line along a razor-sharp edge, and he did it without a safety net.

"You're special," he whispered. "What were the chances I would find you, that we would fit?"

Insane chances. He would rather win the lottery.

But it had happened.

Fuck.

His life.

This was his life now. Good things happened to bad, bad people, too. And to Deadpool, who was outside any kind of classification.

Peter's aunt didn't have a clue as to what her nephew had done. Peter didn't want her involved in his life as Spider-Man and Deadpool was part of that life. Wade, too. Sure, both identities were also part of Peter's life, but his partner was so intent on keeping his aunt safe, he wouldn't even let her have that.

May knew, though. Wade had listened in to a few calls and it was clear she knew something was up, especially after Peter had told her he had moved out of his old place into a new one.

It would only be a matter of time.

Part of him balked at her knowing just what her nephew had bonded with. She would want to know, would want to meet Wade, and he couldn't have that.

Ever.

So the lies would just have to hold a little longer, become a little better, and maybe she couldn't ever call Peter on them.

Here's to hoping.

tbc...