Chapter 2: You're Tolerable

Peter sat atop the Daily Bugle in full Spider regalia, listening to music through his earphones on his phone. His mask lay next to him, a symbol of hope for the city lazily spread on the concrete. Peter bobbed his shoulders and tapped his toes against the building's wall, watching teens getting drunk. Late night partying, probably. It's been an hour since the Deadpool incident, and knowing the man's uncanny ability to track people down anywhere, he positioned himself on the rooftop of Peter Parker's workplace, not Spider-Man's hoping the merc would never look there. Deadpool had no idea who he really was, anyways. Eventually he started humming to the lyrics of Holding Out for a Hero and snapping his fingers along to the beat. Suddenly, his spider-senses went haywire, but before he could react a cheery voice resounded behind him.

"I need a hero! I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the niiiight!" Deadpool sang crookedly as he air-guitared and kicked out his leg. Peter almost screamed in terror when the sudden voice cut through the peace, and he hurriedly shoved on his mask over his earphones. "Ah, so that's a 5s, it appears. You know I could get you a 6 if you asked."

Peter fumed as he yanked the wires from his ears and phone as he glared daggers into the mercenary, turning sharply. "Damn it, I don't want a 6! Scratch that, I don't care, how'd you even know I was here?!" Peter waved his arms about wildly, gesturing so that his hands spoke just as much as his voice. Deadpool crossed his arms triumphantly and puffed his chest out as he responded casually.

"Easy, I followed the trail of webs you left behind. And also your earphones aren't plugged in properly so I bet the whole city can hear what you're listening to."

The hero deadpanned, and turned his head to the phone still in his hand. Shit, he was right. Peter huffed as he just paused the song. "Looks like I gotta be more careful then, I don't want idiots being able to tail me around the city." He pinched the bridge of his nose. He could hear the man behind him muttering if he was talking about him or not. "So please just tell me why you're back to piss me off."

Deadpool blinked. Wait, so why are we here again? I told you to follow him, don't ask me for any back-up plans. "Uhhhh…" Deadpool scratched the back of his head and stared, growing anxious at the sharpness of Spider-Man's death-look. Holy shit, just like, show him some of our sexy hip-thrusting or something, we're good at that. We can't just do that without reason, we'll look mental. Yeah, well you got any better ideas, smartass?We are literally already crazy, there's voices in our head! Look here, I'm not saying we can't thrust, we just need some of that mood music or somethi-

"I'm waiting." Spider-Man just seemed to spawn in front of Deadpool's face, but he had to twist his neck up to successfully look him in the eye. Oh my God, that's the cutest thing ever.

"Shut up!" Deadpool cried as he swiped at the air, almost smacking Peter in the head.

"Ugh, you know what? I'm just going to assume you're talking to me and that you came just to be an ass-hat again. So I'll be taking my leave now." With that, Peter grasped his phone and turned tail, poised to jump from the roof until a gloved hand shot out and took his phone wrist gently. By reflex, Peter swung his other fist out and nearly nailed the mercenary in the face before the man yelped in defence.

"W-w-wait, Spider-Man, just let me borrow your cell!" Deadpool blubbered quickly and protected his face with his free hand. His grasp on Peter's wrist was gentle, but growing more firm in fear of Peter beating him up and flying away.

"Why…?" Peter lowered his fist, but his position remained alert. "What do you want with my stuff?"

"Just- play that song from the beginning."

"Why should I?!"

"'Cause this'll make you happy."

"When am I ever happy around you!?"

"I'M JUST GONNA SHOW YOU WHY I'M HERE DAMNIT!" Deadpool let go of Peter and grasped the sides of his head and shook it, groaning in frustration. Don't forget to mention you just want a real friend for once. I can already see that this is not going to end well. A defeated sigh in front of him breaks his internal conversation, and he looks to see Spider-Man holding out the device. A rather malicious looking gaze danced across the hero's mask.

"Alright, this had better be interesting or I'm knocking you out and leaving you to SHIELD." Deadpool giggled happily and swiped the phone from his hand before the other could change his mind. He mumbled to himself as he took off his glove for better touchscreen access and swiped a few times on the device. Peter couldn't help staring. He didn't know that Deadpool's whole hand was scarred, looking like it was burned over and over again. Does the rest of him look like that? He swallowed. The mercenary seemed to catch Peter's masked gaze on his hand, because even before the music began to run the glove was back on. "Better get myself some touchscreen gloves, dontcha think? Take a seat." He laughed thinly, and Peter decided to sit at the curb of the roof out of curiosity. Before the lyrics however, Deadpool placed the phone beside Peter as he walked back a few paces and struck a pose. Spider-Man wrinkled his nose.

"Where have all the good men gone, and where are all the Gods?" The hero snorted loudly when Deadpool threw his head back and sang through an invisible microphone. "Where's the street-wise Hercules, to fight the rising odds? Isn't there a white night upon a fiery steed? Late at night I toss and turn, and dream of what I neeeed…" He stared awkwardly. He actually wasn't all that bad once he tried. Deadpool crouched on the concrete as he pulled out the 'ee' sound in the lyrics weirdly.

"I need a hero!" The masked soldier threw his head forward and clenched his fists together tightly, now he was whipping imaginary hair. "I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night! He's gotta be strong, he's gotta be fast and he's gotta be fresh from the fight!" Deadpool, still singing, stood up abruptly and pranced towards Peter; grasping his hand and hoisting him up to join him.

"Wait, I never agreed to this-"

"I need a hero!" Deadpool completely ignored the protest and raised Peter's arm above his head and spun him. "I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light. He's gotta be sure, he's gotta be soon, and he's gotta be larger than life, larger than liiiife!" The hero allowed this to happen for a few more verses, until he realized he was basically waltzing under the moon with the man he though he despised the most.

"Okay, stop that." The music still played and Deadpool still sang as he used his super-strength to wrestle out of his grasp, but the man simply took hold of his hand again and pulled him back; successfully twisting Peter so that he was being dipped. "You bastar-" He laughed heartily. Crap, that wasn't supposed to happen.

"Shush Insect-Boy, just allow the friendship to take place within you." Deadpool raised Peter from the position and held the man suspended in the air by his waist. "And was that a healthy laugh I dare say hear breathed from thy lips?" They started to spin.

"Shakespeare? Are you serious? I thought people described you as creative." Peter pushed his foot against Deadpool's chest and back flipped out of his grasp. "And yes, you're ridiculous so I laughed at you, got a problem?"

"Oh I don't mind at all, not at all. Also, I am creative, it's just that how people are describing my creativity goes on a whole new level." Deadpool walked up to him again and spun Peter behind him so that both their arms were outstretched but still connected. The look on Spider-Man's mask could have only been described as unamused. The merc coughed. "There are two different ways you can decipher that sentence." He pulled Peter in close and put his hand on the small of his back. Just at that moment the melody died off, and the two men just stood there, awkward in each other's arms.

"Sooo, yeah that's that, I guess I answered your question." Deadpool released his grip on the other's hand and back then walked over to the phone still lying on the roof. "Here," He placed the device in a still confused looking Peter's hand. "Thanks for the groove man, made my day." He sighed and drooped his head as he prepared to go back to the roof's stairwell. Great, accomplished nothing.

Peter watched the man disappear from his sight, and when he was gone he looked over at the phone; to his surprise the screen was wiped of past fingerprints, the surface looking shiny and pure. Deadpool cleaned his phone for him while he wasn't watching. A voice interrupted his observations.

"So hey," Peter looked up and spotted Deadpool's upper body poking out of the opening in the floor.

"Uh, hey…?"

"Sooo, I figured you're a really cool guy. And in all honesty, felt like we were actual friends just now, even if you still think I'm a dumbass. Which I kind of am anyways. So, um, I'm Wade." Deadpool, now Wade offered his hand hoping for a shake from Peter. The Spider-Man's eyes widened ten-fold and almost dropped his phone on the concrete. The two seemed to be locked in some sort of epic staring contest, with one's arm sticking out awkwardly. Noooooo, why the HELL did we just do that!? Deadpool gulped. He is going to go STRAIGHT to his dads with our name out. "Not like it matters, the whole world is basically after us anyways." Deadpool muttered through his teeth in the thought that Peter wouldn't be able to hear him.

"I won't," Peter spoke.

"Wait what?"

"Tell anyone. I mean, it's your name and everything, it's not my job to introduce you." Peter rubbed the nape of his neck. "Just don't expect me to tell you my name just 'cause you told me yours!" Peter pointed almost accusingly at Deadpool, no, Wade.

"So, that means we're friends?" Wade chirped. Ha, in your dreams. Peter stood for a moment, in excruciating silence for the merc.

"I wouldn't say that. But you're tolerable, I guess. Just don't piss me off again and stop poking my arm during meetings." Peter didn't spare Wade a second glance before he launched himself off the roof, flipping through the cool night air and swinging home.

Wade rested his chin in his palms and sighed blissfully. "I think he likes me." He just said we're tolerable, we're not even his friend. How can he possibly like us? "He danced with me…" Wade drew circles on the concrete with a finger poised delicately. Oh my God, you are such a sixteen year-old girl. "He didn't say we couldn't sit beside him…" Wade sighed yet again, and his cheeks rose in a dreamy smile as he glimpsed at the lean figure swinging away. "I think I just found my hero."