Evolution

Wade was going back and forth in front of his telephone, waiting for someone “special” to call him. It was nerve-racking, because he knew that he couldn't do anything to fasten the process, he couldn't do anything but to wait and wait and wait and worry. “What, if they don't want me?” He asked himself aloud. Peter who was sitting on the couch, reading one of his many books mumbled something in response, but it was to quiet to understand. “I mean I've been a good merc!” He exclaimed dramatically. “I have the skill and the looks! Right Petey?” The boy hummed in approval. “Hah! You would tell them, right baby boy? How amazing I am!” That made the teen look up curiously. “- Sadly that's never going to happen.” Wade added fast. “Because you're not going to meet them.” He stressed. Peter frowned at him a little, before continuing to read. “Hey.. no need to give me that look, sweetums.. It's just that.. you know for a little spider like you.. they can be very dangerous..” He tried to explain. Peter looked quite glum nonetheless, but before Wade could go to him, pull him into a hug and cuddle the sad look on his face away his phone started to ring, making him jump up a little. He instantly answered the call.

“Merc. Billionaire. Dead. Pool. How can I assist you?” He said in a husky voice, trying to conceal how nervous he actually felt.

“It is me, Wade. Coulson. I've talked with Fury about the thing you asked me.”

“Why, agent Coulson! What a surprise! Haven't thought you would call back so quickly – it seems like Fury is in desperate need of a man like me, huh?”

“Well.. that might be a little exaggerated, but we all know of your capabilities and if you would be able to stick to some basic rules..”

“Pah! Sure! No killing, listening to direct orders, no chewing gum during briefings..” He heard a faint sigh at the other side of the line.

“Right. As I said: Simple rules. We can not make you a full member yet, but Fury got a few missions for you, if you do good we will take you in.”

“Sweet!” Wade exclaimed triumphantly.

They then discussed the details of Wade's first mission and after Coulson had hung up, Wade actually took his time to celebrate with a little victory dance. He noticed Peter looking at him with a soft smile, when he had finished and cleared his throat a little awkwardly. “Looks like you don't have to start worrying about me getting a proper job anymore.” Not that Peter did, he was pretty oblivious to material things and money after all. Wade just loved to spoil the kid and even though he still had billions on his account overseas he wanted to stay on the safe side. That's why he had decided to turn to S.H.I.E.L.D asking for a job with a regulated income, instead of being a gun for hire. Somehow Peter made him want to settle down.

A few days later however Wade found himself turned into a nervous wreck. “What if I mess up? God, they would never talk to me again!” He was putting on his Deadpool costume and somehow it felt really weird to wear it again after such a long time. The spandex pinched a little and it smelled funny. He had never noticed it before, but now that he was living with Peter, trying to contain some hygiene it was quite unpleasing. He would have to wash his suit after the job or – even better! - burn it and buy another one. He made a mental note, put on the mask and went out of his bedroom. As always Peter was reading on the couch, it had became his place.

He looked so absorbed in the story, such a frail and tender being and .. is that blood?! Wade rushed to his side, cupping the boys face in terror, while Peter looked up to him in confusion. “What..?” He asked startled. Wade slowly moved to stroke away the small streak of blood dripping out of Peter's nose, the boy sniffed in surprise, while Wade's mind started to run wild. “Are you sick, Peter? Do you feel unwell?” He demanded to know nervously, putting his hand on the other's forehead to check his temperature. “You don't seem to have a fever, but I can't let you stay alone! I.. I will call Coulson and cancel the mission.” He exclaimed almost panicking, making Peter chuckle. “I'm fine.” He assured in the sweetest voice. “But..!” Wade tried to interject. “You afraid.. of job?” Peter asked with a knowing smile. “I.. n-no! That's not it, Peter! I' just worry about you!” The merc whined, but Peter shook his head. “You go.” He declared nodding and he looked at Wade with so much determination that he had to give in. “Fine.. good.. but if I get home to you dying I will laugh at you!” Wade pouted, making Peter laugh. It was such a clear, melodic sound that it made Wade relax immediately. “Okay.”

“But you have to call me when you start to feel sick or anything! And if you get hungry there is enough food in the fridge, you just have to heat it up – you sure you know how to use the microwave? I can show you once more, before I go!” Peter rolled his eyes at his overprotective roommate and pushed him towards the window, so he would finally go and do whatever he was supposed to do and in the end Peter won, because Wade sighed in defeat and climbed out.

The mission itself was easy. It really was, even though Wade couldn't stop thinking about Peter and how he was doing and how Wade would react if he came home only to find out that his little baby boy had killed himself by accident, probably by setting the apartment on fire with his laser-eyes that he somehow hadn't noticed before. Seriously, there was just so many things that could go horribly wrong, hell, Wade even knew of a kid that had accidentally suffocated himself while brushing his teeth! It was a dangerous world. Oh, and of course if he could stop thinking about Peter and his inevitable tragic death he thought about all the things he could do to screw up the mission.

He was incredibly silent, but it was a mission that required stealth after all. It probably was some kind of test to see if Wade was physically able to shut up when it counted, to use his brain and his sick ninja moves instead of just wracking havoc. So the maybe-not-longer-merc-merc crawled through the ventilation shafts of the fancy facility he had to intrude until he finally was just above the desk of the big boss of that gang. He opened the air vent as quiet as possible and lowered himself into the dark and empty room. He waited a second, but there was no alarm going off so he hurried to bug the guys telephone, the desk and a pretty ornamental plant that was standing close to the door before vanishing again, not leaving any hints of his little visit. He then proceeded to get home as fast as he could, calling Coulson while he was doing so to inform him that the mission had been a complete success. The agent congratulated him and told him, that he would call in a few days to discuss Wade's next job.

As Wade climbed up the outer wall of the apartment complex he already braced himself for the worst, but when he jumped through the open window all he saw was a perfectly fine Peter, sitting on his place on the couch, book in hand, first confused then smiling. Wade sighed dramatically. “Phew! You're still alive!” He exclaimed, while taking off his mask. “I hope it wasn't too bad though? Being on your own? You know it might happen more often now, if you are not ready I can ..” “Time.” Peter interrupted him. The older man blinked in confusion until Peter started to point at the watch hanging on the wall. “Oh..” He said. Wade had been away for merely half an hour. “I.. guess I shouldn't have worried that much?” He asked rubbing his neck. Peter nodded. And so it was set, Wade would go on missions more frequently from now on.

At first it had been a little hard to leave Peter, but he soon realized that the kid was fine even when a mission would take a few days to finish. “Kids..” Wade thought to himself. “They grow up so damn fast.”

Everything had been fine for a while, put after a rough mission Wade came home to Peter with various bullet wounds and his suit and skin sliced to ribbons. In addition to that Wade had even lost his left arm, which had made climbing up to his window really tricky. Luckily he had found his arm after the battle so he could try to reattach it, but when he finally let himself fall on the floor of the living room he just wanted to lay still for a few hours, maybe blacking out so he wouldn't have to feel all the pain he was currently in.

He of course didn't notice the horrified look Peter was giving him from his spot on the couch, but as soon as the teen rushed to his side kneeling next to him he became aware of the impression he probably made on the boy. “Ugh.. it's okay Peter.. just some scratches..” He managed to say, but of course the teen was to smart to believe him. The first thing the boy did was trying to attach the arm back to Wade's shoulder, using his webbing as some kind of bandage to hold the arm in place while it was reattaching itself. Wade smiled, grateful for the aid, but he didn't want Peter to bother with him. “Thanks, baby boy..” He said softly. “Just like.. help me into the bathroom so I can take a bath, then I'll be alright, good?” Peter just nodded cautiously, but instead of just helping Wade to walk to the bathroom, he actually carried him there on his back. Wade was sure that he would blush if he would have enough blood in his veins, but he had to admit that his body being pressed against Peter's by the might of gravity was a wonderful feeling. The former spider then helped the merc into the bathtub and turned on the water. “Okay, Peter.. I can manage on my own from here on, really.” But as every other teen, Peter wouldn't listen to his guardian, instead he went through the bottles of shampoo and bath cream. Wade sighed. “The aloe vera one.” Peter shot him a short smile and put some of the gel inside the water, while applying some of it on Wade's wounds. The merc hissed at the pain it brought, but he gestured Peter to continue.

After the tub was filled, Wade stripped off the rest of his costume and his skin treated he told Peter once again that he was fine and that he could leave him on his own now and that “Who is overprotective now?” Peter just stayed with him, sitting next to the tub, resting his head on it's edge. They didn't speak, Wade because he was actually quite tired and Peter, because he just wasn't that talkative to begin with. The silence wasn't unpleasing though, it was nice actually – peaceful. Wade felt.. safe and .. loved? It was a strange feeling, but he did not want the moment to end ever again.

“Wade?” Peter asked quietly. The merc hummed in response, indicating that he was awake, even though he had closed his eyes a long time ago. “You a hero?” The boy asked almost shyly. That question actually made Wade open his eyes, looking at Peter as if he had heard wrong. “Like Cap, I mean.” The boy tried to explain. Wade had to think about that for a moment. Not because he was unsure if he was a hero or not – he definitely wasn't, but something in Peter's voice had sounded so hopeful and he did not want to let the boy down. It was a silly though, considering that he met Peter because of one of his mercenary jobs. “No, Peter.. I am not a hero..” He finally said, unable to lie to the doe-eyed teen. “But I try hard to become one, someday..” Wade looked at Peter, prepared to see him being disappointed, but the look an his face was hard to decipher. In fact, Wade felt like there was something sparkling in those big, hazel eyes and if he wouldn't know otherwise, he would say that it was admiration.