sixty-eight.
Peter is no longer keeping count of how many days he's been free of Hydra because he's now refusing to define his new life by something like that. He knows it hasn't been long, just over a month, but he's going to live the rest of his life however he damn well pleases.
And right now, he's pleased to tidy up the barely-there mess in his bedroom so that he can have Wade over. He hasn't seen the mercenary in far too long, and after the near-death and actual death experiences they sorta shared, Peter thought it was wrong not to hang out.
He wasn't prepared for Wade to show up with gifts for him though. His scarred hands were full with the straps of gift bags and a huge box and his face held a smile.
"Hey, Petey baby." The merc said with a smile as he sat the box and bags down on the floor. "How're you feeling?"
Peter watched as the man sat down on his bed, and he felt something he never remembered feeling before. He thinks it's what other people describe as butterflies in the stomach when you get nervous around someone you like. "I feel... Like I should've gotten you something."
And Wade just laughs and it's like music to Peter's ears and the sound brings a smile to his face and he has no idea why. A flash of memory provides him with an image of him and Wade sharing the small space of a twin sized mattress in someone else's cabin on someone else's dime and his cheeks flush a rosy pink that he can't control. And of course Wade notices, but for once he keeps his words to himself, instead opting to tell Peter that he didn't have to get him anything.
Peter would like to protest, but he knows that Wade wouldn't allow it, either way, so he just smiles and thanks to the scarred man in front of him before he's even opened any of the bags, and that's sweet. Wade pats the space of the bed beside him and Peter sits, shifting in his seat to get comfortable and also to try and rid his mind of the sinful thoughts creeping up on him.
Wade pays no mind and instead offers the boy one of the smaller bags with a chuckle, and Peter almost wants to ask what he's laughing about, but he doesn't. Instead, he just gently removes the tissue paper and peers into the bag. He takes out the bubble wrapped object inside and carefully unwraps it, listening in to Wade's commentary at the same time.
"I'm not sure if you remember, but you once told me that you liked my cologne, and I told you that I'd get you a bottle to keep, so you can spray it on things and feel closer to me."
Now it's Wade's turn to have pink cheeks and Peter just smiles. He feels fond of this man and the things that he remembers and he's grateful that Wade does even if he doesn't. Peter thanks the murderous maniac with too much time and money before gently laying it down on the bed behind them. Wade is quick to offer Peter the next bag and the boy wonders aloud if all of these gifts have the same kind of meaning to them.
Wade doesn't deny it. Inside of the next bag is actually something they'd discussed over text recently. It's small, but it kind of means a lot to Peter, especially since he's trying to reinvent this person that he's going to be. He wants to do it right. So when he pulls out the tissue paper, all he can do is smile.
The bag contains the following: 6 pairs of spandex leggings in varying solid colors, 4 pair of all black cotton leggings, and another black spandex pair with some kind of cute mesh around the knees.
Peter is over the moon at this gift and he can't even imagine what's in the others. Some of the items come as a surprise to him, as the other bags contain things like a stuffed giant panda, along with a note that mentioned that Wade donated 3k to the World Wide Fund for Nature, three or four of Wade's own t-shirts and a zip-up hoodie that looked suspiciously like Wade's own Deadpool suit, and a brand new professional camera.
Peter doesn't even know what to say to any of these things and he's halfway to tears, not just from the gifts, but from Wade's donation. He remembers a conversation that once had about the organization and how Peter regularly donated to their cause.
Wade gives Peter a few minutes to calm down before he stands and grabs the last and large box from the floor.
"Okay, Petey. I know we just talked about this, and I know you probably wanted to do a lot of this for yourself, but I just couldn't stop myself from trying to spoil you. Nothing's too good for you, and I want you to know that. The receipt is with me, so if there's something in here you don't like, I can always take it back and let you pick out something else, okay?"
Peter wasn't sure where Wade was going with this, so he just nodded and allowed the large (and heavy) box to be sat in his lap. He wasn't sure how the thing was being held together with all the weight inside of it.
Peter's jaw dropped when he looked inside.
On the very top of the stuff inside, was an LED makeup mirror and Peter could only imagine the bright, never been used lights and how they might shine on his skin. He sat it on the bed and continued looking through the box.
The box in itself was at least half of his size, almost like a box for a tall mini-fridge, but wider.
He pulled out a hair dryer, flat iron, and curling iron, and the fact that the curling iron didn't match the others didn't matter because Peter had seen these on the website and knew what they cost.
As far as eyeshadow palettes went, these were some of the best and maybe most expensive. Just simple glances to the packaging gave away their names, Venus XL, Dream St. Kathleen Lights, MORPHE X Jaclyn Hill, Modern Renaissance and Zodiac Love Signs.
Peter knew that those alone cost an arm and a leg, so he could only imagine what else might be in this box.
The answer came in the form of a 12 piece beauty collection, all 7 shades of NARS blush, regular Urban Decay All Nighter setting spray and a travel bottle, Crest Professional 3D Whitestrips, shea sugar scrub, Himalayan salt scrub, miracle hair mask, apple cider vinegar and Himalayan sea salt scalp scrub, brush cleanser, a cleansing pad, mascara guard, lash tool and curler, a mini eyebrow tweezer set, Beautyblender blenders and cleanser, a sharpener, two different kinds of nail strengtheners and coconut cuticle oil, tea tree shampoo, dry shampoo and no frizz nourishing oil, razor bump and ingrown hair solution, herbal body moisturizer, Better Than Sex Mascara, 3 different waterproof liquid eyeliners, Smashbox highlighter, all three shades of Make Them Jelly Hi-Lite, NYX Lip Lengerie Gloss in all 9 colors, Rodeo Drive Highlighter, all 3 shades of Catrice 3D Glow Highlighter, clay-to-cream cleanser, watermelon sleeping mask, Burt's Bees Detoxifying Clay Mask, nourishing facial oil and rose water toner, all 48 colors of Sally Hansen Insta Dri Nail Color polish, all 19 shades of BUXOM Full-On Plumping Lip Cream, and a large bottle of hairspray.
Once he's reached the bottom, he finally looks up at Wade. He's patiently waiting for the boy's reaction, though he worries when he sees said boy's lip quivering.
"Oh no, I fucked something up, didn't I? Did I forget anything? I know there's no concealer or anything, I wasn't sure how to do the color match without you being around, I'm sorry. Do I need to go pick something else up? Do I need to take something back?"
Wade seemed near frantic that he may have messed something up, and Peter let him go on while he rose from the bed covered in his gifts. The boy sat the box down and shook his head. "No, I love it. I love it all... You didn't have to do all of this..."
And Wade's expression softened and he just smiled as he pulled Peter into a hug, the only hug he'd let himself be part of in a while. "Of course I did. Nothing's too good for you, remember?"
Peter just laughed, cheek pressed against Wade's chest. "If I ask you what this cost, you, will you tell me the truth?"
Wade laughed and rubbed the boy's back. "Over two grand."
And Peter pulled back, eyes wide. "Give me the numbers."
Wade, rolled his eyes a little and produced the long ass receipt from his back pocket and Peter's jaw dropped once more as he looked at the whopping 2,382 dollar total. And Wade could only laugh.