Chapter 1 - Revealing a Secret
Spider-man was everything Deadpool expected him to be and more. The merc spent days at a time just admiring the way he moved in the heat of battle. Performing extremely complicated movements at a speed which no man could or should be able to pull off, without serious injury. Not only was he fast and flexible, but he was strong and slender. To top it all off he believed that Deadpool could some day become a Hero and over come the obstacles of his past. This man was a fast talking, thrill seeking example of what the mercenary could one day be. The mouthy man had quite a long way to go though. Even the ever forgiving and patient Spider-man had limits on how much Deadpool he could tolerate before leaving the merc mid-sentence to swing away via web. Spider-man was a true hero in every sense of the word. There was one flaw that had become increasingly apparent.Spider-man was not invulnerable. The hero had been injured on multiple occasions and still managed to hastily depart.This time was different.
Imagine Deadpool’s confusion slowly turn to shock and horror when the web-slinger collapsed after what seemed like the successful apprehension of normal non-super powered muggers. Quickly he took a knee beside the hunched over vigilante and gently nudged him in disbelief. Of all the horrible things for his fractured mind to create, he truly hoped this was one of them. Upon his unwelcome prodding, his had was quickly swatted away. There was no doubt now. The hero crumpled over in anguish before him was most certainly real. Dread and panic quickly replaced the confusion as he watched the once confident strong man grasp at his chest, in vain effort to ease his discomfort.
“What’s happening?! What’s wrong Spidey?”
Every muscle in Spider-man’s body was visibly tense. It was clear that he wasn’t going to be able to handle much more.
“Spidey! Tell me what to do!”
Spider-man’s quiet choked out groans, were now loud roars of pure agony! The sound was difficult for Deadpool’s mind to process. Nothing had ever created such a reaction like this before. Deadpool, the merc with a mouth, was at a loss for words. His usual method for dealing with stressful situations, was absolutely useless. With every single tormented cry, any thought process to form words were quickly silenced. It was as if his brain was literally stunned. Deadpool had never felt so useless. All of his skills could do nothing to help him resolve this situation. Quickly and forcefully the mercenary grabbed the spider by his head and pulled him against his broad chest and held the resisting hero tightly. The fact that Spider-man under normal circumstances would have been able to have easily evade his grasp, only caused anxiety to flood the speechless merc’s already fractured mind. Squeezing the smaller man as hard as he could, he compressed Spider-man’s head roughly into his chest to ease the pressure that had built up within his own. Spider-man’s muffled cries of pain began to subside and his weakened attempts to free himself from Deadpool’s crushing embrace had come to a complete halt. Now it was silent and the impaired merc’s mind began to clear. The adrenaline that had surged through his body finally dying down. The whole circumstance was so completely draining on him, that it took a few moments for the merc to realize that Spider-man had stilled.
Deadpool loosened his grip and the wall-crawler lay limp in his arms.
(What did you do?)
[Smothered him as if he were trying to drown out the sound of a broken alarm clock with a pillow.]
(Is he..?)
[Hard to tell with the mask on.]
“Just shut up! We can’t touch the mask.”
[Well then, don’t think of it like that.]
(Yeah, what if he just needs a little “mouth to mouth”)
[You could be your hero’s hero.]
“Hard to argue with that logic...”
(Then what are you waiting for?!)
[Hurry up and show u..uh- I mean save him!]
Despite the rushed rantings of his mind, his fingers hesitated at the rim of Spider-man’s mask.
“It’s not curiosity...I’m saving you”
Slowly he pulled the mask up from his neck over his chin and past his lips.
(We’ve seen this already!)
[Yeah! Rip that sucker off!]
Just as the mask passed over the spider’s nose, Deadpool released the mask.
“That’s not why we’re doing this. I’m a good guy now. Super bro code. Don’t out a fellow super bro.”
Against his own mind’s disapproval, he pulled out a knife and held it just below Spider-man’s nose. Unknowingly to himself he was holding his breath. Only when the blade fogged did he allow himself to breath again.
“OH thank GOD! He’s still alive...”
(If he died, could we have taken off the mask?)
[What would be the point then?]
Deadpool quickly shook his head, hoping to shut the boxes up, but only succeeded in dizzying himself.
“Spidey’s not dead! Still...that may be good and all, but the real question is...WHAT the heck just happened to him?!”
(How should we know?)
[We know about as much as you do right now.]
(What’s that flashing red light?)
[His communicator watch from S.H.I.E.L.D. most likely.]
Sheathing his knife he lifted the spider’s arm up to answer the call.
“Captain America?”
“Wilson? Why do you have Spider-man’s communicator?”
Deadpool began to speak but, instead lifted Spidey’s wrist and angled it enough for Cap to see Spider-man unconscious in his arm.
“Do you know?” Cap asked in a near hesitant manner.
Deadpool angled the communicator so he could see the Soldier again. “Know?”
The star spangled soldier reflected a serious, but brief look of concern. “Bring Spider-man to the Avenger’s tower.”
Deadpool’s eyes widened. How the Avenger was able to recover from that display of emotion to give an order with such strength was beyond Deadpool. Only Captain America can work puppy eyes and still be a born leader.
“You gonna tell me what’s going on?”
Captain America sighed and his worried expression did not help to ease Deadpool’s own concern. “He has a unique...condition. Wilson, Spider-man seems to have faith in you turning over a new leaf. Just get him to Banner ASAP. This is more serious than I have time to explain.” With that said the communicator’s transmission ended.
(If we take him there we may never know.)
[And if things are as serious as the super soldier says, then we may never see Spider-man ever again.]
Deadpool looked down at the hero in his arm. “What am I suppose to do then?”
Deadpool debated with himself to make a decision for a few moments but, only when the spider themed hero stirred and let out a quiet groan, was he able to choose. Gently he lifted the small agile man and carried him to a nearby car. It didn’t take him long before he was laying the passenger seat back enough for the hero to rest comfortably. As he buckled his seat belt for him the merc couldn’t help but to take a moment to appreciate the curves and ridges of the lithe young man beneath him. He let out a sigh before looking up to the hero’s partially unmasked face.
“Hang tight Web-Head...you’re gonna be in good hands real soon.”