Archive of Our Own

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“Hate isn’t the opposite of love, apathy is. Hating doesn’t free you from feeling anything. You have to carry it around, using every scar, every little memory like a building block. Like a stone in a wall, until you’ve created a new person, a new life that you can live with.” 
― Rasmenia Massoud, Broken Abroad

Domino darts ahead of him. "Keep moving, Wade!" she screams over the sounds crashing around them."I am!". His right arm is hanging by a thread of a tendon, and it takes a moment to cut it off. Another moment to get behind her and push her toward the door.  "Go, go!" He rushes behind her out into the open street."It's coming down!" Domino calls and keeps running away from the building."Holy crap , I brought the house down!" Wade turns to watch the building as it starts to crumble. He throws his arm up in a touchdown salute. "Yeah!"But he's too close, he knows it, and perhaps that's what he wants. He loves the danger - it gets him closer to Vanessa than anything else - and he’s willing to take the concussion and two-day coma of a building to be with her even briefly. He's lonely, though he’d never tell anyone but Dear Abby , and she still hasn’t responded to his lament about the lady at the Taco Truck who makes the best Chimichangas and how to tell her without sounding like a creep. He forgot to mention his disfigured everything. Hopefully, Abby forgives. But at least he can cross over and ask Ness if it’s okay. He knows it is, but he needs to hear it from her."Wade, get out of there!" Domino is screaming from behind him. He doesn't move. He closes his eyes and waits for the building to collapse so he can wake up with her. He throws his arm open wide as if to embrace the falling building. I’m coming, Ness. An invisible force wraps around his chest and hauls him back in one stroke. He sees a glimpse of silver hair before he crashes into Cable’s chest. "I wanna go again!" Wade whines like a kid at a carnival ride and he’s only half kidding., He misses Ness, and this would have been a good opportunity to get to her, if only briefly. Limited time offers, he thinks as the building comes crashing down, expire. But there are others who need him right now. That’s what Ness would say. Wade grabs Domino and pulls her down near a large metal dumpster. Nate’s arm snakes around his back to hold them down in a ball."Brace!" Nate barks and they do, as the building collapses over them.  Nate's shield is over them cracking as it takes most of the crumbling debris, deflecting it away. It’s a strain, some of the boulders are large, and Nate is gritting his teeth to keep this up. Domino looks up briefly before shutting her eyes again as if opening them was a mistake.  The rumbling stops, and they haul each other to their feet.  "I can't die, you know," Wade reminds. "Didn't need the shield.""I can die," Domino protests. “If you were curious.” She flips him off and Wade smiles at her.“Good talk!”Nate smacks him in the upper arm, but not hard. "You too can die, it's just harder to do it." Nate leans back slightly and looks at Dom as if he'd forgotten about her. "You okay?""Yeah, I'm okay, but don't mind me," she smirks, and it fades to something Wade recognises as her confusion. "So when did you come from?""Yeah, you...you look older." Wades eyes trails over a scar he's never seen under Nate's right eye. The metal on his neck looks like it has spread. Wade's gloved hand runs over the spread gently. Like Cable’s powers had gone unchecked briefly. “High and tight.” he motions to Nate’s hair, that had been stringy and long at the top last time. He’s also pushing that silver fox look; his hair is almost as gray as Al’s."I left, what, a week ago?""Yeah, eight days, give or take three on either side." Wade blinks at him, focus returned briefly. "How long have you been gone? Did we have a stint in the future old people’s home for wayward mutants?” He motions to Domino. “We should trademark that!”In Cable fashion, he doesn’t play along. "Four years." That makes Wade nod gently and take him back in for another hug, but Nate pushes him off.  "It's good to see you both." His voice sounds rough and cracked with exhaustion and emotion.Seeing Nate is not seeing Ness, but he looks up at the sky briefly. This is not funny Ness, he thinks, but thanks. Part of Wade is relieved he’s back; he hadn’t really wanted him to go, it’s like the time between seasons of a TV show, you just don’t know what to do with your Wednesday nights when nothing is on.Domino smiles, coming over to grab a hug as Wade backs up. "You need a shower and a steak dinner." She pats his back, and looks at his neck, touching like Wade had. “Maybe a dry cleaner.”Nate nods. "All of that, would be lovely." He reaches out, and his large weapon comes to his hand securing it to his back.“It’s a date!” Wade says brightly. "I'll get out the red sequin number. Dom, you can wear that sparkly tux thing you have!" Wade runs his left arm down his own leg seductively. "You always liked the red sequin number."Nate actually smiles. "I'm thinking that pink nightgown, with those fluffy slipper things." Wade stands gobsmacked for a moment before Nate taps his arm. “Cat got your tongue kid?” Nate chuckles as he leans on Wade a little more than usual.“I’m pretty sure you’re a clone if you’re playing along,” he adds. “Or you’re high, are you high? You should share that shit.”“I’m not a clone, and I’m not high. I’m just tired,” says Nate. "And in all honesty that nightgown is just so ghastly I can't forget it." Nate sighs deeply. "You need to rest, too...arm will grow faster if you're asleep." He knows, remembers, whatever, it’s concern. Even if Wade thinks it’s misplaced.Wade lets the topic go holding tighter to Nate as if to keep him there. "Just want to get me in bed." Nate falls asleep in Dopinder’s cab and wakes up when they pull up to the apartment.. He follows Wade inside. Weasel and Blind Al await them in the apartment arguing over something,probably Final Jeopardy answers."Man, he looks like shit. Old shit." Weasel observes. Blind Al doesn't actually say anything she just nods and points Wade through to the next room, even if she points in the wrong direction."Feels like it too! Oh me? I’m fine, thanks for asking, don’t worry about my arm. You know it grows back right?" Wade notices the bagged food in the kitchen. "This dinner? Awesome." He grabs all of them and motions Nate back to the back of the apartment to Al’s guest room.“Wade, wait.” Weasel attempts. “That’s not all for you-”“Come on, Nate,” Wade says. He watches Nate give Al and Weasel a sideways glance. Wade just rolls his hand so all the bags hang from his wrist and pats his leg with his only hand. “Chop Chop!”“Jesus.” Nate mutters and follows. Goodest Boy! Wade thinks and pushes the door open and moves inside."Should take me to my place," Nate says softly as he sits on the bed. "I'm just in the way here." But the way he leans forward and closes his eyes makes Wade worried he’s gonna pass out and roll onto the floor. “‘Sides my bed is ….nicer than this.”“Subjective.” Wade wiggles his fingers in Nate’s direction.“Wade, listen. I appreciate this, I really do.” He shifts to stand and Wade’s arm is across his lap to keep him there. “I should go home, I have one.”Wade shakes his head and takes his arm back. "That's a no-go, buddy. You need rest." He reaches across his chest and unlatches his harness, placing it and his swords on the side of the bed. "You're gonna eat and take a huge painkiller, possibly a muscle relaxer, and sleep." He turns to the other side of the room grabbing a tray table and opens it quickly, for a man with one arm, and sets it up in front of Nate. "Spoiler alert! So am I but after a shower." He leans down smelling his own arm pit. “Whoa! That’ll knock you on your ass.”Nate sighs but says nothing, but the smirk on his face means that Wade hasn’t annoyed him too much yet.“Food?”  That appears to pique his interest.“Oh yeah, food.” Wade goes digging into the plastic bag and fumbles with the foam containers in the bag, one clearly labeled 'ASSHOLE' and one labeled 'AL.' He sets the Al box out on the table and produces a small plastic spork for Nate to use.Nate's telekinesis opens the box. "Steak fajitas," Nate says with a relief that looks to be built of distance and time. Like a thirsty man looking at a glass of water. Nate skips the tortillas and goes straight for the filling. He pays Wade little mind now.Wade opens his box quickly. Chimichanga: score. "Oh de Camaron!" He puts his container in his lap, picks the cheese covered re-fried burrito up in his gloved hand and takes a bite."De-what?" Nate asks between chews, turning slightly to look at him."It's got shrimp in it," he says as he chews. "and it's amazing." He points the chimichanga at Nate. "Wanna try it? It’s full of sin!"Nate swallows and shakes his head. "No thanks."“Allergy?” Wade asks. “Me too, but my healing factor does wonderful things for an allergy attack.”Al is suddenly in the doorway with two bottles. "Brought you assholes some beer." She says. "Where's mine? Weasel said it was in the bag."By the time Wade hands a beer to Nate (still juggling with one arm like a pro), its cap and rim is covered in congealed cheese. Nate grabs an old shirt off the bed to clean and open them."I have no idea,” says Wade brightly “There were only two containers one said Nate and the other said, Wade." He pats her shoulder with his cheese-covered hand. "I'd kill Weasel if I were you."Al turns down the hall "No wonder they call you Weasel!""It's in the bag!" Wade can hear the protests down the hall, but Nate doesn't stop eating. Wade knows he needs it more, and apparently, Nate does too.  Wade doesn't remember dozing off in front of the TV, but apparently, he did. Sunlight burns in his eyes as he opens them. He groans as he sits up, stiff.  This must be what rigor mortis feels like. His right arm is fully regenerated and he flexes it, testing it."Looks good," Nate says from the kitchen table,  looking well rested and showered. Al sits next to him, cutting up her omelet."Fuck, you're one of those morning people aren't you?"The older man smiles at him and takes a drink of his coffee. "What in the world would give you that idea?" he chuckles."I got you more of that cereal you like with the little marshmallows," Al says.Wade stands up and pushes the blanket, one Al must have put on him, he won’t consider it was Cable ever, to the ground. " Lucky Charms?" That sparks his attention. “None of that Captain Crunch, he’s not captain of anything.” He waves a hand leaning down giving Al a kiss on the cheek. “Captain Planet too...ASSHOLE.” he waves his hands. “Where is my beautiful sugar bomb?”"Cabinet," she says and motions behind her.Wade waddles through the kitchen and opens the cabinet. "Al, these are Frosted Mini-Wheats! There are no marshmallows in this!" He shakes the box. "Damn sugar-frosted brillo pads. I have a healing factor. I'm not exactly worried about keeping my prostate healthy! I need corn syrup and a rainbow of food-grade dyes, dammit!""I'm blind, you asshole." She takes another bite of her omelet. “You’re lucky it is cereal and not Brillo Pads.”"Who are you and what did you do with my  Nate?" he demands as he tosses the Mini-Wheats in the trash where they belong.Nate shrugs. “We’ll talk about it when we head to my place.” he yawns.“Would ya mind keeping him forever?” Al asks. “He’s always interrupting Wheel of Fortune.”“You can’t even see the letters on the screen, Al!” Wade is in another cabinet digging around until he finds Pop Tarts that have been there for Thor knows how long.“Don’t have to, you big jerk.” She smirks and puts a hand on Nate’s arm. “Don’t let him come back between four and five.”“So you can watch Bob Ross paint happy little trees?” Wade tosses his hands up. “You’re blind.”“His voice is soothing.” she smiles brightly as she pats Nate’s arm.“I’ll keep him busy,” Nate assures. Wade narrows his eyes. “Might even keep him out forever.”“With what?” Wade’s face goes slack as Nate smiles at him devilishly, and now, he’s sorry he even asked. to be continued.....

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Nate’s apartment, he calls it, is really more like a compound across town. He built it with winnings from a Lotto ticket he had Domino buy for him after he won a bet against Wade. It was the first five dollars he’d ever had in this timeline and he won the lottery on this third day. It amounted to a nice $485,000, after taxes. Wade argued, if Domino was really as lucky as she says, she would have won him Millions.Pulling up, Wade can easily see the building its really the only thing in the sparsely populated area, there is a house a few hundred yards down but it looks abandoned.His eyes peel up to the building before them. Eight bright blue shipping containers, four to the bottom, four to the top, that made for a nice compound out in the outskirts of the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Plants and trees litter the space, as if Nate can’t seem to have enough of them.  As the taxi pulls away, Nate springs the compound to life with just a wave of his arm. “This is what you built?” Wade manages “I mean ..I thought you said this was an Apartment?”“You were the one that wanted to start a team.” Nate grabs at the large pull handle on the door and it clicks open. Wade enters as Nate holds the door for him. “And it’s divided into living spaces.”“You did this all by yourself?” Nate only nods once walking briskly past him. “Putting This Old House to shame that’s for sure!”Nate moves over to a wall of lockers ignoring him. Nate unloads his large gun, and it floats to a place up on the rack. He does the same with a few small pistols, but leaves the one in the holster on his leg. “Come on.” As he steps back as the doors fold in, closing away the little armory. The locks reset with a series of clicks. “I’ll show you upstairs.”Wade looks around now, his brief bewilderment gone. A black Ford F-150, super old and in pieces, sits alongside a Harley Davidson in the garage area. Ahead of them, a home gym that puts Planet Fitness to shame. “Well, there’s room to stretch out at least.” He nods “My Hello Kitty Bike will fit in here nice! I’ll tape off my own parking space!” He’s not even remotely kidding, it was the best $600 he ever spent on the men’s 10-speed bike that was bright pink. The bell was an awesome addition he did himself, and he’s super proud of it.“Lots of work yet to do,” Nate points to a far corner that has a door. “Medical area needs to be stocked,” he says moving to the opposite side. “More storage beyond the training area, and above the truck.”“Crazy.” Wade laughs. “Can we call this Xavier’s Home For Bad Boys and Girls? Oh please? That’s better than we X-Forced you to be here.”“Just shut up and come on.” Nate moves to stand on the far wall of the garage near the truck, where a flight of stairs sits.  He jogs up the stairs, and Wade follows him, curious to see more. “It’s enough room,” Nate explains “For up to four. I can also add containers up top if needed to expand us.”“It’s like our own mini Avengers tower!” Wade is thrilled.“It really isn’t.” Nate lets out a deep sigh rubbing the back of his neck. Wade can feel the stress coming off the man like a bad smell. He just looks exhausted, like a burnt out battery that’s literally burning.“Make yourself at home Wade, I’m going to get a shower, I’ll be back in a bit.” Nate walks into presumably his own room and shuts the door.This place looks like it’s out of Better Homes and Gardens . There are some house plants, a large couch and television, large dining table, and what looks like a pool table in the back. There is a wall, on the far side of the living area opposite Cable’s room. Three little pods, color coded like a damn preschool.Wade turns about, the container walls holding Cable’s room is painted in a silver color. Makes sense most of Cable, from what Wade could see, was that color. ‘You were the one that wanted to start a team.’ Nate’s words flitter through his mind and that's exactly what this place appears to be built for. There are other rooms, lots of them, with Cable’s being in the center of the building. Wade finds that strange, that or Nate’s been reading some weird feng shui books.This place is massive, and open concept like crazy the kitchen is gorgeous, stainless everything; cabinets, walls, countertops, and appliances.Something draws his eye on the far side of the room, a poster. Neatly framed on the red wall next to the first pod. RENT. He walks up to the wall and shakes his head. “Ridiculous.” His fingers find the top and bottom of the frame and he skews it. “Arguably better.” He insists out loud.As he looks to the door he can’t help but be curious. He reaches down and takes the knob in his hand, but the door pulls open, unlocked. Peering in the door he flips on the light switch and steps inside.The room is clean, and he recognises the other posters on the wall immediately. Sucking in a breath, he knows, without doubt, this room is meant to be his. His touches all the small trinkets and frames he remembers from the apartment as he walks by them. A hand mirror, Vanessa’s, sits on the dresser. It’s almost too much, almost. The measure to detail is strange, but he just can’t imagine it any other way. He is immediately comfortable in the space, and doesn’t feel out of place in this room, like he feels in the other places in this building.As he walks along the outer wall  Wade pulls the curtain back on the patio door window to let in natural light from the balcony outside his room. There’s a private bathroom, and what looks like a walk in closet.  “I could get used to this.” He murmurs briefly looking around trying to take in all the little things that have not entirely registered in his mind. A queen sized bed, red sheets, black comforter. A small ceramic pot, that Ness used to keep kitchen utensils in, holds remotes beside the bed.  A picture of Vanessa, and himself at a drive in sits in a silver frame beside.“If you don’t like it...” Nate’s voice is soft as he speaks from the doorway where he stands. He’s freshly showered, shaved, and dressed.Reaching out behind the bed Wade turns. “No, no it’s fine.” He swallows as his fingers trace the blue baubled tile that lines the wall. The same type of tile, if not the same tile, from the kitchen at his apartment with Ness. “Thanks.”“Tried to make it feel like home.”“The home where Vanessa was killed and I blew myself up?” Wade asks in a quiet monotone. Nate visibly finches, Wade has to turn from that face, guilt blooming in his chest.“Wade, look-”Silence lingers between them too long as Nate is figuring out how to respond to that. “I love it.” Wade says finally, honestly, the guilt suddenly abating. “I absolutely love it.” Wade turns back to him looking up.Nate smiles at him as their eyes meet again. “I’m glad.”“Where’s the teddy bear?” Wade asks, suddenly turning to Nate. “Hope’s bear?” He has to get the focus off of himself.“My room.”“You sleep with it?”Cable’s brow shoots up. “I set it on the nightstand,” he murmurs. “Where I can see it.”“It’s OK, I won’t tell.” Wade comes closer a few steps “I have a unicorn and her name is Paul.” He sets the hand Mirror back on the dresser and smiling brightly.“Wanna get a beer over at Weasel’s place?” Nate asks suddenly.  “Hell yeah,” He nods emphatically “You order it and I’ll drink it if you give it to me, Weasel won’t serve em to me cause I don’t actually get drunk. Says I eat into his profits.”Nate paused briefly looking into his eyes. “Nice to know.” 
Sister Margaret's is hopping like prom night. “It’s like not even 2 o’clock, Weaz!” Wade yells as he walks through the door and smacks his hand on the maple bar. “What the hell happened here?” Looking around he can’t believe how many shoulders are here, it’s like everyone has a day off today from killing. “Did someone win the Deadpool?” He leans back looking up at the board. “That’s the only reason I can think you have this many people here.”“Not today. It’s the NHL finals.” Weasel points to the TV behind them. “Game six or something.” He shrugs “We get lots of street rats when that happens. I guess they’re taking bets.”“I love hockey!” Wade shouts turning to the TV, god it’s been forever, and he remembers skating as a kid on frozen ponds. “GO CANADA!” He yells briefly and then turns back to the bar. “Weasel!” Weasel gives him a glare like he’s somewhere between pissed and waiting.“Ten grand on Moose in the Deadpool.” He points up to the board above the bar.“How much do you actually have on you?” Weasel asks, slapping his hand towel over his shoulder, leaning both hands on the bar.“Just ten grand and some change.” Wade reaches into the hem of his pants into his underwear and pulls out a nicely banded up roll of cash that’s been nestled under his balls all day, and sets it on the bar. “I wanna put ten bucks on Canada to win too.” he pulls some wadded cash out of his pocket and drops it on the bar as Nate walks in the door from parking his truck.Weasel uses his bar towel to wipe the roll off cash into a bin below the counter. “What’ll it be Cable?”“Whiskey.” Nate responds. “Straight up two.” he holds up two fingers to illustrate.Wade spins around on the bar stool, and just watches the game, listening to the world around him, listening to Nate who must think he’s lost interest.Nate turned to Weasel. “He must really like Hockey.” Wade smiles at the conversation beside him.“He’s Canadian, it’s in their blood, I think,” Weasel says with disinterest.“Got any jobs up that way?” Nate asks. “In Canada?” Wade turns his head to see Weasel slide a gold card onto the bar, and tap it twice.“Just one,” Weasel says “Mutant Trafficker.”“That’ll do.” Nate says as Wade looks between them now. “Who do we got?” Nate flips the card over in his hand.Weasel pulls out a few shot glasses setting them on the bar. “Ever heard of a guy named Daniel Grant?” He pours the shots that Nate had ordered.“We’re listening.” Wade smiles as the shots are pushed at Nate, who casually slides one into Wade’s waiting hands.To be Continued...

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

When Wade wakes up he’s facedown in bed fully dressed and drooling into his pillow.  He blinks, and suddenly panics, as he turns over hands stretching out over the sheets. His hand finds purchase on a rough furry surface. “Oh there you are Paul!” he grabs the unicorn up off the pillow next to him and clutches her to his chest. “I thought I lost you.” he holds her out to look at him. “Do not ever do that again,” He points at her face. “Because I love you.” She’s missing an eye, and her fur is matted with, well that doesn’t matter, she’s important. He loves her, and she’s still here.

Setting her in his lap as he sits up fully he takes a deep breath. He sniffs a moment turning his head to the door “Is that bacon Paul?” He breath before he murmurs, “That’s one of the foods of my people. “Bacon, along with Beer, and Beef.” He pulls his shirt off and drops it on the floor and opens the closet to grab new clothes.

The common area is light with morning sun. The wall is opened near the kitchen to a balcony, he hadn’t noticed before, and there’s a fluffy white cat on the kitchen island. “Like that do ya?” Nate is speaking to it as he cooks. “Want another?” He turns back grabbing something and lays it before the white cat. Who seems very interested in eating whatever it is that Nathan is giving it.

“That’s how it starts.” Nate looks up at Wade in shock. “You get one and they just keep coming.” He waves a hand. “You can’t just feed these things, they won’t leave.”

“Like you?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“She’s just fine.” Nate says reaching out to pet the cat once before going back to the stove to flip more bacon.

“You know it’s a she? What if they have no gender preference? You’re gonna become that Crazy Mutant Cat Lady, Cyborg, Thing-” Wade argues “And she- or he, or THEY, if they prefer, might not like sharing.”

Nate actually chuckles. “She’s been coming around in the garage for days now, and she was around when I was building.” He shrugs and puts bacon on a plate with two sunny side up eggs on it and slides it over in front of Wade. “I like her, and I don’t like sharing either, but sometimes we have to.” That feels like shade.

“We should totally buy her a little bed, and one of those bell collars.” Wade motions to his own neck to illustrate. “Lace? I think so.” Wade takes a bite of bacon white Nate goes back to making more food. The cat meows at him. “Stuff it Garfield.” The cat seems to take the hint hopping off the counter going to the patio again.

“She’s got full run of the place so you’re aware, indoors and outdoors. She takes care of herself.” Nate points with the tongs he’s using on the bacon ignoring Wade’s question.

“The cat?” Wade blinked and picked up a fork. “Interesting, cause from here it looks like you’re feeding her bacon and she’s never gonna leave cause you’re a sucker.”

“Maybe,” Nate nodded and tipped the skillet over a plate to slide his own eggs over. “I’ve taken to calling her Fig.” The cat mewls in response.

“Why that? You should call her Fluffy.” Wade points out mouth full of eggs speaking as he chews. “Cause she’s like super fluffy, she  should have her own youtube channel in japan for just getting in and out of boxes.”

“I don’t know what that means Wade.” Nate seems to be thinking as he looks at her rolling around on the patio. “When I first saw her I was building on the back half of the compound. I swore I’d seen her one moment, and then she was just gone in a flash. I swore she was a figment of my imagination for days.”

“You do not have one of those.” Wade said between chews of a piece bacon that’s between his fingers.

“Don’t have what?”

“An imagination.” Wade’s hands arched like a rainbow, before picking his fork up and cutting another of his eggs. “So runny.”

Nate laugher is surprising. “I do too have an imagination.” He sits across from Wade on the island and picks at his food a moment before he really starts to eat.  “I rather enjoy the eggs.” He mentions.

Wade looks up. “No eggs in your time?”

“No chickens.” he says with a shrug. “I want to try Chocolate too, Domino said I should at least do that.” He blinks “She made some food list, it’s pretty long, I’m not sure I can get to everything on it.”

Wade held up a hand. “HOLD THE BREAKS! No chocolate in the future?” He sets his fork down.

“It’s the apocalypse Wade. There isn’t a lot in the future that isn’t a protein mix.” Nate takes another bite of the eggs. “And let me tell you the protein mixes start to look pretty good when you go hungry for over a week.”

“Okay okay okay.” He holds out his hands. “Pizza? Tell me you had pizza.”

“Not since the last time I was here,” Nate said, “And I didn’t much like it ham with fruit.”

“That's because it was Hawaiian, no one likes it,” Wade looks up. “Had Chinese?”

“No, we hadn’t gone there yet, but it’s on Domino’s list too.” He thumbs over his shoulder toward his bedroom. “Something about Hibachi?”

Wade gasps. “Have you tried the Chimichanga?”

“No.” He shakes his head. “Too afraid I’ll turn out like you.”

Wade holds up his hands “Incredibly sexy and amazing in bed?” It takes a moment, but they both start laughing.

“Is that what you think?” Nate shakes his head.

“That is what I know. You know, you’re okay.” Wade laughs and grabs his fork back up. “Thanks for breakfast Sugarbeast. I appreciate it.”

Nate groans. “Wade don’t start calling me that I don’t-”

“You’ll learn to love it,” he says and takes another bite of bacon. He leans over the counter and grabs another piece of Nate’s plate and smiles sitting back down. “I promise.”
  
Nate leaves for most of the day leaving Wade by his lonesome to figure out what to do with himself. It’s nearly 8PM when Nate walks back in to the disaster that is the Kitchen and the coffee table in front of where Wade is sitting.. “Where have you been? It’s way past curfew!”

“Weasel asked me to take care of something small,” He drops a duffle on the kitchen counter, and flashes another gold card. “So I did, and I have the rest of the info for Canada.” He takes a moment stuffing the card in his shirt pocket. “You ok?” His eyes scan the mess but he doesn’t bring it up.

“Right as rain!” Wade says leaning to look into the kitchen from over the back of the couch. He reaches out to the coffee table with his other hand and grabs the bowl of popcorn and holds it in his lap.

Nate laughs at him. “If you say so.” He grabs a beer out of the fridge and comes to the couch. “This guy, Grant, he’s got a lot of mutants working for him.”

“Oh yeah?”  Wade comments putting a handful of popcorn in his mouth.

“You want in? I could use the backup.” Nate reaches down into the bowl picking up a few pieces of popcorn and popping them in his mouth.

Wade weighs the options in his mind. “Domino?” He scoots over on the couch as an invitation for Nate to sit down.

“Busy, something about a lucky break.” Nate shrugs and looks at his fingers before getting more popcorn.

“Could take the Brown Panther.” Wade smiles brightly, and fills his mouth with more popcorn. “I heard he’s been training.” He laughs, can’t help it.

“I am not taking Dopinder to Canada.” Nate sits down on the couch next to him within arms reach of the popcorn. “I’m taking you.”

“I’m gonna tell him,” Wade smirks, “That you don’t love him.” Nate just chuckles at him, and it gives Wade a small amount of pleasure.

They watch a few episodes of the Golden Girls in mostly silence, Wade loves this show, and when he’s invested he rarely ever talks. If he does it's because he knows the lines by heart, knows every punch line, but he wants Nate to experience it for the first time too.

Nate dozes off after a while and is leaning over chin on his palm, his beer, between his fingers hangs in his lap. Wade ignores the TV briefly to watch the older man, look him over more closely, the scars, the age. He rolls his eyes and tries to turn back to the TV but can’t. He’s distracted, and suddenly his cock is hard. Fuck. He grabs the popcorn bucket and puts it in his lap to hide it.

He can’t take it anymore if he stands up he’ll wake Nate. He decides, then, Nate has to move first. Wade reaches over and takes the beer and sets it on the coffee table. “Nate?” He nudges his arm. “Wake up.”

Nate sits up and blinks looking at him. “I fell asleep.”

“Yeah you did sleeping beauty.” Nate nods. “You should go to bed.”

I need you to go to bed for my own sanity and my raging boner.

Goes unsaid.

Nate nods running a hand through his hair. “Yeah not a bad idea.” He stands takes the beer off the table. “Night Wade, we leave for Canada tomorrow.” He’s already just assumed Wade is going, and dammit he can’t say no now.

“Yeah I’ll be packed, Night.” As Nate turns into his room and shuts the door Wade blinks. Something blooms in his chest like warmth that he can’t pinpoint. “Goddamnit,” he mutters darkly. He picks up the remote stops the DVD. He thought he could sit here and just watch more TV and it would go away, but it aches and he doesn’t think it will go away without being addressed properly. He stands setting the bowl down and doesn’t even clean up, he just exits the opposite direction for his own room. He’s gonna masterbate and pass out. Those are high on his priority lists before packing and cleaning tomorrow.
 
To Be continued

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The next morning feels better somehow.  Probably because he’s not got a raging boner. Packing settles his nerves too, counting ammo, packing his clothes, and cleaning his pistols.  He packs his weapons neatly in their cases and sets them outside the door, ready for transport.

“You have enough ammo?” Nate appears in his doorway holding two small cardboard boxes of .50 caliber bullets.

“Oh yeah I’m packing,”  He points to the cases and a bag by the door. “Don’t worry, I think I’ll be ok..”

“Just making sure, you remember what happened in Jersey right?” Nate smiles at him setting the boxes down on the duffle bag.

“Oh I remember I saved everyone!” Wade argues with a grin plastered across his face.

“I remember bringing you back to Al’s place in pieces you asshole.” Nate points at the ammo. “Pack it.” He turns leaving Wade alone.

“YOU PROMISED ME WE’D NEVER TALK ABOUT JERSEY!” He calls after. “Asshole.” he smiles brightly, no heat in the insult, grabbing Paul off the bed and stuffing her down in his suitcase.
   
Nate cooks dinner which is just pasta with a jar of sauce over the top, and it’s great. Wade is NOT complaining about the cooking services here. Sitting at the bar they go over everything with a map sprawled out between them. “This here is the man’s bar.” Nate taps the map with his pen. “He owns it.” The blue pen circles the location on the map.

“We can’t get him there, that’s a ton of people.” Wade shrugs. “Not that I mind a ton of people. Private Criminal Party? Lets go. Establishment that is used by the general public?” He crosses his arms over his chest shaking his head. “Nope, not so much.”

“I know,” Nate responds with a sigh. “We’ll think of something. The Intel says he likes Hockey and will be at the Stanley Cup Finals Game here.” Nate points to the ice rink, then circles it. “That means it’s like three miles from the bar.” He keeps his pen going along the streets, “And that puts this as the most likely route.”

“Four city blocks?” Wade leans back down. “Shit.” There’s a lot of things that can happen in between four city blocks.

“Yeah we gotta intercept him in between,” Nate leans up trying to get a better view of the map. “I can push his car off the road or hell I can just pick it up if it’s small enough, and we can get to him. We should just follow him just as he leaves the arena.” Probably the best idea yet, stalking.

“I’ll drive.” Wade says with a bubbly smile.

“The hell you will.” Nate snaps at him as he takes another fork-full of pasta and shoves it in his mouth. “You’re gonna stay in the car until I need you to kill some people.” He says through chewing. Wade has to admit, talking with your mouth open? Sexy.

“Bad guys, I kill bad guys.” He corrects turning the map around to look at the streets. “I do like that plan. This is a downtown area, lots of people are gonna be around.”

“That’s why we’ll do it at night.” Nate suggests after he swallows. He takes a swig from his beer. “With the stores and things closed, less of an opportunity to get someone in the net who doesn’t belong.”

“There are a thousand ways this can go sideways.” Wade breathes out looking at the roads again, trying to take the map into his memory.

Nate seems to agree, giving a sage nod. “Oh, I know. We just have to do the best we can at the time, and make the rest up as we go.”

“That sounds like something I would suggest, not the best of ideas.” Wade has to laugh a bit at it, and the fact he's even admitting it. “Ok you’ll drive.”

Nate shakes his head, “I always drive you asshole.”

Wade smiles brightly at him. “Love you too Sugarbeast!” He feels the embarrassment acutely as the words leave his mouth. It suddenly gets quiet and Nate looks at him like he’s just asked him to get married. “I know you love it!” Wade tries to deflect.

“Wade, I told you-”

Change the subject!

Wade is screaming so loudly inside his own head. “So hey, I need some more grenades, do you think we have some in the armory in the garage?”

“We have a few M67 Fragmentation Hand Grenades.” Nate motions to the garage door.

“Good, I’ll need like,” Wade counts to four on one hand. “Seven or, Seventeen. What time is our flight?”

Keep with the distractions Deadpool you got this.

Nate smirks like his next words are gonna hurt, “We gotta be at the airport at four thirty tomorrow morning.”

“Balls that’s fucking early.” Wade complains as Fig jumps on the counter next to him.

“We still have to drop our Gear off at the bar.” Nate reminds. “Though I’m going to see if Dopinder will run it by after getting us to the airport.”

“Oh yeah Weasel has a new tech ferrying service doesn’t he?” Wade looks down at the cat and scratches her back near her tail to watch her struggle with herself.

Nate smiled right at him. “Yeah and we’re gonna take full advantage, he says he can get anything across international lines in under 24 hours. The big gun will have to transport that way, putting it in checked baggage is not an option.”

“I love when you break out the BIG gun.” Wade lifts up his hands flexing his scrawny arms. “It gets me hot.”

“I bet it does.” Nate almost smirks at him, “Almost all of my weapons are big and formidable.” It's like Cable’s actively playing along, he needs to stop before the tent that’s pitching in Wade's pants becomes noticeable.

“Aside from those itty bitty walthers you pack in your pants?” Wade can’t help the snicker that comes out of him. “Yeah, formidable.” And now he’s laughing, it cannot be helped.

Nate shoulder checks him as he walks past. His laughter dies as Nate leans near his ear. “I said almost all dipshit.” They grow quiet now, and Wade looks up briefly. For a moment no one moves, no one says anything. “Get some sleep,” Nate’s words are soft and slow, “Cause we gotta get up early.” Nate reminds, breaking away for the sink to set his dishes down. “Dopinder will be here at three a.m. to get us over to the airport. Want me to get you up?” Thanks for the mental picture Cable, and the words TOO LATE flitter through his head.

“I’ll be up.” Wade argues, and he’s pretty sure he will be.

Nate pauses now opening his mouth like he’s about to say something, but his mouth closes. “Good night Wade.” He murmurs, and with that Mr. Sassy Pants McBig-guns goes to his room and closes the door.  This leaves Wade, sitting at the island in the kitchen a tad gobsmacked.
 To Be Continued

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Canada is fucking cold.” Wade pulls his jacket around his neck more tightly as he reaches into the back of the cab to pull out his bag. As Nate pays the driver, Wade looks up to the run down hotel. “Ugh, it looks like a place out of one of those shitty cam pornos.” Wade frowns. “I will legit get raped inside, and if I do it's your fault." He points at Nate. “It’s cheap and they don’t require an ID.” Nate grabs his bag off the floor and starts to walk. “Oh yeah, you have fake IDs.” Wade nods. “I forgot about that future man.” The hotel is as shitty on the inside as the outside. Wade waits in the terrible, what did she call it? Parlor, while Nate pays for their room in cash. “You’ll have complete privacy.” The stout woman says kindly.“That’s all we ask for.” Nate smiled at her. She leads them up the stairs, the elevators being conveniently ‘OUT OF ORDER’, to a room on the fourth floor. “Thank you.” Nate takes the key from her and puts a few dollars in her hands.Wade stuffs his hands in his pockets and smiles as the woman passes leaving them to their room. “This is a shit hole,” he observes. “A shit hole,” Nate says, unlocking the door. “That we won’t be traced to.” He pushes the door open and tilts his head for Wade to go inside. The room is as lackluster as the rest of the place, the sheets look clean but bleach does wonders, he knows. There is one King Size bed. One. Nate doesn’t seem to be phased by it. This hotel isn’t exactly a Hilton.Nate is setting his bag on the table and lifts up his cell phone. There’s a sound suddenly that sounds like a person gasping for air, and a knock at the bathroom door. The gasping sound repeats, and then there’s nothing. Wade turns, dropping his bag, to open the bathroom door. Their weapons and other tactical bags are sitting on the counter, on the toilet, and in the tub. “Whoa.” Turning to lean out the door. “That’s the coolest service ever.” Nate comes over and sniffs the air. “Must be a teleporter.” He murmurs.“One you know?” Wade laughs. “No I don’t think so, the one I am aware of ...he’s got a distinct brimstone smell.” He explains, “I’m just glad that it worked.”Wade lifts the bag with his uniform. “Yeah well, let's just hope it doesn’t cost us an arm and a leg.” “I’m sure you could pay with both.” A joke, was that a joke? Wade has to turn to Nate, a smile on his face.“Ha, ha! My limbs aren’t for sale!” He reminds him.“They say money doesn’t grow on trees, but if we can get a hundred dollars for each arm, we could certainly try it. What's your blood type again?” Nate chuckles. “Ok enough of that.” Wade smacks his arm. “Stop, I am not a cash cow.” Nate makes his way to stand before the windows looking outside as he pulls back the curtains. “We’ve got a few hours to burn.”He doesn’t know what that means, is that an invitation for ideas? He has no idea how to respond so he simply says, “Sounds good,” Wade drops his bag on the bed and opens it, pulling out Paul and setting her on the pillow on the left side of the bed. “Which side do you want?” Nate didn’t respond; he keeps looking outside, and that behavior concerns Wade, immensely. The waiting is long and boring, but after four hours of rehashing the plan, watching old episodes of Jerry Springer on the crappy TV, and getting something to eat, They start to load up, suit up, and get ready to roll. “The car?” Wade pulls his mask over the back of his head but leaves his face showing.“Downstairs, I had the company leave the keys at the desk,” Nate says as he loads rounds into the magazines for his pistols. “Thirty rounds,” Nate turns for more magazines to preload. “You need some of these,” Wade holds up his Desert Eagles. “I love mah girls.” He leans the barrels near his face and kisses them one at a time. “You don’t get as many shots as I do,” Nate smirked.“True, but mine are less Quantity and more Quality,” he says with a smile dropping both pistols into their holsters. “And the swords?” “Katana.” Wade corrects holding up a finger. “Katana. I just sharpened them last week! Very important.” He beams. “Because, like you said I don’t have as many rounds as you.” “Uh-huh,” Nate takes a small box of .50 caliber rounds and puts them into one of his pouches on his pack.Nate stands up straight and reaches out his hand, another bag floating across the room to meet him. “You ready Wade?” He sets the bag down on the bed and grabs up his coat. Wade reaches up pulling down the mask over his face. “Am I ever! Put on your lip gloss asshole! We got a Motherfucker to find!” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Wade is laying on his back on the rooftop of a bar across from the Arena. “THIS SUCKS.” he groans out for the millionth time tonight. “Waiting games are for pussies.” “Just shut up.” Nate lowers his binoculars. “We have to make sure it’s the right car,”Wade groans and starts tapping his hands on the ground below him, “I should have brought my phone.” “You didn’t?” Nate chuckles looking back through the binoculars.“No, it always gets a cracked screen.” Wade starts to tap his feet too. “I mean I could be playing candy crush or ...making fake profiles on Match.com.”“Yeah, sounds like you,” Nate pauses looking back at him for a moment.“Can I play with your phone?”“No,” Nate returns his gaze to the arena. "Ah well, it's probably one of those old BRICK phones." He holds his hands out like he's holding an actual brick.“There he is...red car.” Nate motions him over.Wade sits up rigidly and leans over the edge of the roof. The man and a scantily clad woman get in the car. “What about the girl?”“We’ll try not to hurt her unless she tries to shoot at us,” Nate sighs standing up. “I’m not against hurting a woman who’s trying to kill me. You ready?” Wade’s already up on his feet and clapping his gloved hands together. “Let's go!” He jumps up and down. “I’m ready.”Nate nods and turns to the fire escape, “Ladies first,” Wade nods emphatically. “Always a gentleman!” The two of them make good time getting down the fire escape to the car. Making their way into light traffic and catching up with Mr. Grant.“Can you lift it?” Wade asks vaguely gesturing to the car in front of them. “The car? Yeah.” Nate takes a handoff of the steering wheel and makes a grabbing motion and his hand motions in front of Wade’s face. The car lifts and rolls into a storefront Causing the world around them to come to a halting standstill. “That’s one way to do it.” Wade pulls one of his pistols up out of its holster and grabs for the door handle. “Stop the car.” Nate pulls them in behind the crumpled up car. People are already running to help those who were hurt. Nate, imposing as ever. “Leave him.” He threatens a woman trying to help one of the bodyguards out of the car. The target starts to climb out of the passenger door. “Hey, Danny!” Wade saunters up. “It is Danny isn’t it?” He grabs the guy by the collar hauling him up to his feet, one of his legs severely broken. “We’ve been looking for you!” He tosses him down in front of Nate. “I got you something Sugar Beast! Look, it's a People Trafficker.” “Mutants ain’t people.” Grant spits on the ground. Wade lifts his leg and kicks Grant in the balls for each word that comes out of his mouth. “YES! WE! ARE!”Nate holds up a hand and he stops. “Where are they?”“I ain’t telling you shit, Mutant.” Nate nods and kneels down. “Don’t have to.” Nate looks up and over at a bodyguard lifting a gun, and Nate simply pulls the weapon free of the man’s hand and it floats into his own. “Now, hold still.” He presses the Glock to Grant’s head and the man looks to be praying quietly for his life. Nate is fixated on him, eyes dancing around like he’s looking for a word in a crossword puzzle. “Got it.” He pulls the trigger and Grant’s body drops to the ground. “Let's go.” Wade points at the bodies on the ground, his mouth agape behind his mask. “I didn’t even get to-” “There’s more where we’re going, Deadpool,...come on.” He interrupts and waves a hand both car doors opening. “OH YAY!” Wade skips to the car and ducks in but turns pulling out his pistol and shooting both bodyguards in the head. “Fun times!” He pulls his door shut. “Let's go!”
--------------------------------------To be continued

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The docks of Toronto are an eerie thing at night. Wade stands to look around as Nate gears up better than he was in the street. “Wade? Do you need ammo?” Wade looks down at the gun in his hand and shakes his head. “I reloaded in the car.” He takes a deep breath “THE SEA IS MY MISTRESS!” Turning back he sees Nate assembling a weapon in the trunk under a faint orange glow. “Almost done,” Nate says but does not look up from his busy hands. “What are you building now? Oh, tell me it’s like that fifth element gun!” “Something for more close-quarter combat,” he says ignoring the parts of Wade’s statements that Wade thinks he doesn’t understand. “Cause it’s gonna be tight on that ship.”“We’re boarding a ship?” Wade came to his side. “Which one?” It’s hard to tell, this dock is busy on the edge of an industrial park.“Big one,” Nate nodded across hands still snapping parts together. “They’re in a lower hold.” He shakes his head. “Almost all kids, there’s one that does not seem to be a child.” he frowns. “But may have the appearance of one.” He grits his teeth a moment and touches his neck. “I get to be Jack in this one. Rose, that’s you.” Wade points at the point. “KING OF THE WORLD!” He smiles “And don’t worry it’s a proven fact they would have both fit ontop of that door.”Nate isn’t listening; he's rubbing his shoulder pretty roughly and looks distracted.“You okay?” Wade blinks coming to his side. “I mean I know my jokes are bad but I didn’t think they’d manifest into physical pain.”“Fine.” He says through gritted teeth, Wade doesn’t buy it. Nate isn’t acting right, and it’s obvious. “Were you shot?” Nate’s voice levels out. “No.” He looks with sympathetic eyes. “I’m okay, when we get done I’ll explain. It’s mostly just a headache.” “Okay.” Wade nods. “But if you need to make a quick exit-”“I’ll let you know, let's get going.” They start jogging toward the ship, and Nate nods. “There are ...mutation inhibitors on the lower levels of the ship we’ll have to take those out. I’m thinking of cutting power to the entire ship.” He waved a hand at Wade. “Hold still.” Wade’s feet leave the ground and he jumps slightly. “WHOA! Warn a guy!” He’s levitated up to the ship and dropped on the deck a little unceremoniously. He stands looking over the edge of the ship and Nate is already gone. “Fucker.” He dusts off his uniform pistols still in his hands. He holsters the two weapons and starts for the small porthole on the side of the ship he’s on. Wade reaches back pulling out his swords and starts to cautiously look around where he currently is. “Portside.” he starts to trail down the walkway and stops leaning up against a wall and comes around the corner meeting face to face with Nate who smiles at him. He makes a rude hand gesture, and Nate nods at him as if understanding that he’s lost. Nate takes point finding the first entrance he can he opens the door. Wade goes first at this point, willing to take any flying bullets that might hit him. Nothing, the whole corridor is empty. He motions Nate inside. “Left.” Nate whispers and Wade nods going toward the left. “Two rights.” He murmurs. Wade follows the instruction, and it’s like the ship is a ghost town, there is no one here. “Nate?” He turns back. “What is this?” “They’re here.” He insists. “Keep going. Left, and down a flight of stairs.” It's like Nate is keeping them out of the way of the goons on the ship. Wade trusts Nate implicitly and goes to the next left turn. He puts his swords away as he hops the banister and holds on to it, leaning wide, to see what’s below. He motions around the stairwell dropping to a step. “You hear that?” A voice from below stalls them and they back up and round a corner. A short stocky guy comes up the stairs looking around. “It was nothing, damn rats.” As he turns Wade has his hands around his neck and he’s pulling the guy backward. He Struggles but it takes a minute for Wade to get him unconscious and lower him gently to the ground. Nate grabs the guys gun and pockets it. “Keep going.” Nate mouths at Wade who turns to head for the stairs. The next deck is easy to clear two guards, but Nate hisses and stops like he’s hit a wall. Wade stalls and turns. “Cable?”“Inhibitor..” Nate shakes his head. “I can’t go further, not until you kill the power.”Wade sighs deeply. “That got something to do with the virus that left metal skid marks all over your body?”“Yes, if my powers are inhibited it’ll kill me faster-”“My cancer can kill me down there”, but probably not as fast as that..." Wade finishes and Nate looks hurt by the words. “Hang loose Sugar Beast.” He reaches down pulling his pistols out. “I’ll try to make this quick.” “Power generation is one level down.” He says and pinches his nose. “Down the next flight, two rights, and a left. Green door.” His hand lowers and he opens his eyes. “Got it, go down two rights, left, green door.” “Be Careful.” Nate insists. “You be careful,” Wade says back at him. “This is the best date ever.” He whispers in a cutesy voice like he’s talking to Yukio. “It’s not a date, Wade, now go.” Nate hangs back turning to look down the other hallway content to stop anyone who would come in from behind them. Wade leans over his shoulder and kisses his cheek. Mask raised up to his nose and smiles. “I’ll take care of it.”“Go,” Nate growls shoving him off. Wade turns on his heels and rushes for the stairwell. He’s down it in a moment and following the directions laid out by Nate. “Green door- Green Door-” He pauses. “This is like a teal,” he mutters but pushes in on the door anyway. It gives, and he steps inside and closes the door behind himself. This room is long and narrow. To Wade’s direct left are panels that look like breaker boxes. “Shit.” He isn’t sure which to take out. He pulls out his swords. “I guess we’ll just play Eenie Meenie Miney Moe.” He thrusts his swords into the first panel and draws them down to the floor, sparks flying. “Nope.” He moves down the line a few more. “Nope.” He stops at the next pane. He has to take a breath and stop a moment, the bile is rising in his throat. “Fucking Cancer.” He mutters, knowing the tumors are growing back, he can feel the one near his kidneys he’s pretty sure, it feels like someone is stabbing him on repeat.He looks to the next panel that has an extra box, affixed to the front of it, on it that appears way newer than the surrounding panels. The box has sharpie scrawled on the box that says ‘Fuck Mutants’ Wade smirks. “FUCK YOU.” He cuts the box from the control panel. It takes a moment but there is definitely a wave of relief that hits him. He reaches his katana over his wrist and cuts a very small cut in his arm, and he’s rewarded when it seals up. “Got it.” He stands and pushes to the door Nate already in the hallway.“Nice work.” “They labeled it for me.” Wade puts his katanas away and grabs out his pistols. “Where are they now?” He frowns the lump near his kidney is going down slowly, fuck he’s gonna piss acid for a week.“One more level down, and to the aft of the ship.”“You said Aft.” Wade giggles. Wade pauses as Nate rounds a corner using his telekinesis to lift a guard and slam him to the ground knocking him unconscious. They go over the guard and down the next flight of stairs before an alarm goes off. “Shit.” Wade frowns. “The kids know they have their powers back, and may have tried to start something,” Nate says softly.“Read their minds?” Wade pulls his mask down over his mouth. “You should not be reading minds, you idiot.”“Don’t have to,” Nate says running down the hall now. “It’s what I would do.” -----------------------------------------------------The children are in fact on a lower level guarded by three guards. The guards themselves are unconscious on the floor, their weapons snapped in half. “Shit,” Wade says. “Easy Wade.” Nate pushes on the door. “Stay back everyone.” A boy’s voice says. “They’re here to help us.” A little girl voices. “We don’t know that.” “I do.” The little girl says. “Deadpool, and the other calls himself Cable.” Nate pushes the door open, and the light causes the children to bunch together behind an older boy who is maybe twelve years old. “Alright, kids we gotta go,” Wade says. “No time to argue about it.”“They’re not going with you.” The boy says. “You’re the one that doesn’t belong,” Nate says cryptically and lowers his weapon. “How old are you?”The boy blinks. “Forty-seven years.” he nods. “My mutation is I do not age into puberty.” “Sucks to be you,” Wade mutters and Nate jabs him in the side. Wade bends a moment, that tumor on his kidney is still going down, so that hurt considerably. “They were going to sell us off.” He says softly. “To people who wanted fairies or pets.” He motions to a little three-year-old girl with butterfly wings.”“We’re gonna get you out of here.” Nathan walks up. “How many of you are there?” “Six.” The boy says, “Lily is the youngest at three.” The toddler is clinging to the speaking mutant’s leg. “Your name?” Nate asks. “My name is Leon.” He said leaning down to pick up the small mutant at his feet. “Lily, Margo, Thane, Sam, & Brynn.” “You’re a telepath.” Nate looks at the one named Margo who nods at him.“And you’re from the future?” She questions what she’s reading in his mind. "Nathan Sum-" “Don’t- Don’t look too far into it.” He suggests and the girl nods at him. “Wade, the older kids can probably keep up, but I’ll need to carry Lily, can you lead us up and out?”“I could lead a horse to water AND make him drink it!” Wade holsters his pistols. “Who took care of the guards?” Nate asks them.“I put them to sleep.” Margo says softly. “I broke the guns.” One of the boys says. “I can break matter,” he murmurs. “Not sure on putting it back.” Leon turns. “That’s okay Sam.” Wade looks behind to a smaller boy. “Hey scales.” He kneels down. The little boy’s skin is pebbled and grey. “We gotta go, can you follow me?” The boy nods. “Yeah.” He steps up into the light. His eyes are bright yellow and his skin glistens. “Dude that is the coolest skin.” Wade smiles at him. “Ya look like a snake! I want snakeskin.” “Yeah, I guess.” The boy blushes and his inner eyelids blink before his outers do. He’s a little crocodile if anything. “So cool.” Wade stands up. “Ok kids, follow Wade.” Nate clasps a hand on Wade’s shoulder. “Be careful.” “We’re doing this together. Come on, little rascals!” Wade takes the hand of the pebbled boy. “We gotta go, don’t want Darla missing her recital.” Thane grabs the harness on Wade's back, and crawls up on Wade clinging tightly, “Kid, that’s not smart.” Nate is commenting from behind. “It’s fine Cable!” Wade stops and looks back “Hold on Scales!”“Thane.” The boy clings tightly around his neck. “My name is Thane.”“Well, ya still gotta hold on.” They go the four oldest Mutants between them. There are two issues, One guard coming upon them from behind that Nate manages to trip down a flight of stairs behind him, and a Guard that sees them and then high tails it in the other direction. They go upstairs and exit in the same manner in which they came. The upper deck of the ship is dark, but the docks are lit up like Christmas. “Police everywhere.” Wade turns to Nate. “We gotta get outta here.” “Yeah.” he looks up as a plane moves overhead. The black jet comes around lowering itself to the ground on a parking pad on the dock. “Hey,” Nate looks at Leon. “you gotta get them all to that Jet.” “Why?” Leon asks as he takes Lily out of Nate’s arms. “Because that’s the X-men, they can help you, all of you.” He nods. “The little ones especially.” “Colossus is a dick,” Wade smirks. “Don’t listen to a thing he says, and there’s a prick named Scott, give him hell.” “Wade.” Nate chastises him. "Stop that." “He is.” He lowers Thane down to the ground. “Brush your teeth, be good little mutants.” “Wade we gotta go.” Nate looks almost worried to Wade. “now.”“Okay!” He looks at Leon. “got this?”“Got it.” He assures and take’s Thane’s hand. “Thank you.” He swallows. “For ...helping us.” “No problem.” Nate claps a hand on Wade’s shoulder. “Gotta go kid.”“Okay.” He leans down one more time to hug Thane. He stands, gives a little wave, and rushes off after Nate to the far side of the ship. “LATER! I WILL COME TO VISIT!” Nate is cursing under his breath as they reach the back of the ship. “The X-Men have never been really bad to me.” Wade says “Supremely needy and annoying? Yes. Bad? Not particularly.” Nate says nothing and uses telekinesis to lower Wade off the ship onto a nearby tug, and he soon follows. “What’s wrong?” Wade blinks.“I am from the future Wade.” He says softly. “They, won’t understand,” “Oh!” Wade considers a moment and that makes a bit of sense. “Yeah, I wouldn’t want professor wheelie to lock me in a box either, good call.” Nate suddenly seems relieved. “Hotel now?” Nate holsters his weapon and watches as the kids walk down the ramp, met by a woman who floats down to meet them. “That’s Storm, I think, they are in good hands.” “Yeah.” Wade leans on Nate’s arm. “Hotel?”“Is that all you can think about?” “Yes,” he says softly. “I think that kid shed scale on me. I need a shower and food.” “Was a cute kid.” Nate chuckles as Wade pulls the long length of what looks like snakeskin off the back of his leg.“Definitely a cute kid.” Wade reaches over the edge of the boat and drops the scales. “Let's get out of here.”“Yeah, let's do that.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------- They return to the hotel with bags, food, and alcohol. They sit, at the foot of the bed, watching the news while they eat Chinese take out. Drinking what Wade refers to as REAL Canadian beer. Nate takes another bite and leans forward setting the carton on the small table. “That’s pretty good stuff.” He admits. “Like the heat.” “Spicey is always good,” Wade says with a smile and looks down at himself. “Showers? Cause I’m totally going to be considered dangerous when I take this suit off.” “That sounds like an excellent plan.” Nate stands and stretches both his arms up, as he turns away shucking part of his armor and reaching below the hem of his pants to pull his shirt off his body. Wade stares, he wants to, no denying, but something is different. He turns to grab up his phone, he’d taken a picture of Nate without a shirt a few weeks prior. He frowns at the image and then looks at Nate again. Holding up the phone he compares the virus’s progression in the first picture to what he’s looking at now. “You said the virus wasn’t spreading.” Nate freezes turning his head slightly. “It spreads when I use my telepathy.” He murmurs. “I didn’t have a choice tonight.” “It spread THAT much?” Wade stands to shove his food carton on the table like Nate had done and goes over to him. “It’s across your shoulders now and up behind your head.” “Yeah, it does that.” Nate tosses his shirt down with his bag. “What the actual Fuck Cable?” Wade frowns “You can’t do that, are you trying to get yourself killed or something?” He opens his arms. “I get tossing me into a damned hail of bullet fire but fuck all, Cable!” "Wade, they were children, I did not have a choice-" Nate chuckles a little bit while he checks the progression in the mirror, not seeming phased. Wade is simply staring at him through the mirror with a look of anger. “You definitely remind me of my wife.” “Fuck you.” Wade turns, grabbing his pack and his mask and hits the door. “What kind of person says that huh?” He shakes his head and grabs his room key. "I mean I'm an asshole don't get me wrong, but to people who deserve it Cable. What the hell were you thinking?" “Wade come on.” Nate shakes his head. “Where are you gonna go?” He leans on the bathroom door frame muscles flexing and if he weren’t so angry it might actually be sexy, but Wade is repulsed that he’d put his life in danger. Nate couldn’t possibly care about anything if he’s trying to kill himself. “Doesn’t matter does it?” He pulls the door shut behind himself. As he walks away toward the elevator he hears something break back in the hotel room, but he doesn’t care, not like he’s paying for it anyway. -------------------------------------------------------To be continued...

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Wade makes his next appearance at the airport where Nathan sits in a chair thumbing through his cell phone. Wade sits beside him. “Ticket.” He keeps it as simple as possible holding out his hand.

Nate sits up and reaches in his coat pocket pulling the tickets out. He looks at both and hands Wade his. “Thanks.” Wade stands, moves across the way, and just sits. He pulls out his phone, checks his messages, and sighs.

Nate ends up coming over and sitting down. “We should talk.”

“No I think, I’m done talking to you,” he lifts his hand and snaps it. “BLOCKED.”

“This isn’t social media Wade.” Nate sighs sitting back in his seat.

Wade reaches in his pocket and digs out his headphones. He will be able to ignore it as much as possible. “I am so sorry Wade.” He murmurs. “I thought that if, well I don’t know what I thought-” He puts the earbuds in and hits the play button drowning out Nathan and anything he has to say.

Nate stops talking but sits back staying beside him, that’s fine, he can sit there, but Wade sure as fuck doesn’t have to give someone like him the time of day, not right now, not after what he did.

The flight is frustrating. Wade tries to get the flight attendant to switch his seat, but the flight is booked so he’s stuck next to Nathan “Fuck-wit” Summerset. He has to pull his headphones out to ask for the window seat. Nate says nothing, but he stands and lets Wade in closer to the window. He sits, keeps his headphones in, and tries to ignore.

A touch on his arm startles him awake and he’s got a blanket draped over him. “We’re here.” Cable says standing and grabbing his bag out of the overhead compartment before trekking away.

Wade has to breathe and sit up pushing off the blanket. “He is very sweet.” the flight attendant says to Wade after Nate is out of sight. “He asked for the blanket for you.”

“Yeah, he’s a goddamn hero,” Wade mutters and kicks it to the floor before he stands and disembarks.

The flight attendant is frowning at him, he can tell, and he rolls his eyes, but keeps going.  He meets Cable outside the airport. He’s already seated in the back of Dopinder’s cab. “Mr. Pool! I hope you had a good trip to hockey and killing!” Dopinder is holding the front door open for him.

“Didn’t see any Hockey, just get us home Dopinder.” He mutters and simply flops into the front seat.

Home is better ish, at least he can lock himself away in his room, that reminds him of his apartment, where Vanessa died. He sighs and just lays on the bed. As far as he can tell Cable is opening windows, airing out the place. He can hear him talking to the cat. He stands and goes to his door to listen to Nate. “Damn you’re a fucking loser.” He sighs at himself.

Nate’s phone rings, it’s that shitty Disney intro music, and he doesn’t know. Nate picks up the phone. “Nate,” A pause. “Yeah what’s going on?” He makes a few humming sounds. “Of course. I’ll be right over, let me grab my tools, gimme twenty minutes. Do you need me to pick anything up for you? Sure I can grab that.” He makes more humming sounds. “Sure see you in a bit.” The phone beeps off. “WADE!” He flinches back from the door but doesn’t say anything. He can hear boots coming to the door. “Headed out, foods in the fridge if you’re hungry.” He can hear Nate’s hand on the door. “Sorry.” The word is muttered so softly.

It takes a few moments but soon Nate leaves.

He knows he’s alone when hears the garage door and watches the black pick up roll away. He grabs his phone. “Hey, Dopinder can you come grab me? Great.” He grabs his jacket and his Maple Leafs hat and opens his door, and heads down to the garage. He’s out of here.

There’s only one place he can go to.

“WADE!” Weasel smiles and grabs a shot glass. “How was Canada?”

“Fine.” He murmurs and knocks on the bar. “The strong stuff.”

Weasel shakes his head and pours a shot under the bar and sets it on the counter. “You can’t get drunk, I'm not wasting good shit on you.” The bartender, his friend, smiles at him.

“Fuck you too Weasel.” He grabs the shot and downs it.

“Who the Hell pissed in your Chex mix?” Wade doesn’t respond and Weasel leans on the bar. “Was it Cable?” Wade’s eyes dare him to talk more.

Wade shakes his head and sighs. “One more?” He holds up the shot glass and Weasel obliges him. “Thanks.

“Want to talk about it?” Not a joke this time, Weasel leans on the bar towel over his shoulder. “Happy to work through it.”

“He’s a goddamned idiot you know that? That Terminator road rash he’s got, it’s spreading.”

“Thought it only did that when he read people’s heads.”

“Yeah, he did a ton of it in Canada….that shit spreads fast for what little he did.”

Weasel nods and looks over at Adam who pushes out into the bar. “Go grab some more of the Miller light from the storeroom.”

Adam nods “Yes sir,” The boy leaves.

“I mean fuck him, he came back, why the hell would he come back to THIS time just to ….I dunno kill himself slowly?”

Weasel shrugs, “People can be stupid you know.”

“I guess.” He frowns “But Why?”

A familiar rousing cheer starts as someone comes in the door. “There she is.” Weasel pushes a shot to her. “How's things?”

Domino smiles “Good, hey, Wade.”

Wade turns and nods at her. “Dom.”

“Where’s Cable?”

“A Job.”

“Who knows.”

Wade and Weasel look at each other at the same time. Domino chuckles. “You both don’t know where he is, that’s cute.”  She smiles at Wade. “Just came from the Mansion, Colossus sends his love.”

“Of course he does.” Wade feigns a smile. “He loves me most of all, scarecrow.”

Domino and Weasel fall into an easy conversation and Wade does the only thing he can do. He downs his shot, stands, and walks out the door right into the oncoming traffic of a city transit bus.

He is hearing voices, Domino, and Weasel.

“Who do you want me to Call Wade?” Weasel says coming over to kneel down. “Cause your thumbs are both broken you’re not texting anyone.

“Not Nate.” He mutters.

“Call Cable, Weasel,” Domino says pulling Wade over to lean on a parking meter.

“Calling Nate ...gotcha.”

“No Weasel don’t you fucking dare!” Domino grabs his broken arm and lowers it down.

“Hey Cable...it’s Weasel.” Wesel turns and shakes his head “I have a situation-” 
 
Domino and Weasel move Wade to the bar to sit up against the pool table. Nate does show about forty minutes later and looks him over. “He’s actually not in too bad of shape, Weasel.” He kneels down. “Hey, left arm?”

“Socket,” Wade says and Nate reaches over and crams it back in. He holds a scream in.

“Is that a bullet wound?” Nate asks.

“Through and through, but it’s one of those mirrors on the side of the bus...had a pointy thing-” He groans.

Cable continues down a list of body parts. “Right arm?”

“Compound fracture,” Wade mutters.

“Not a ton to be done there.” He checks the wrist. “Gonna remove the hand, Wade.” He turns “Weasel, would you get me a bucket and a sharp knife?”

“Sure.” Weasel tosses his rag over his shoulder and exits behind the bar.

Nate checks his head and sighs as he does so. “Other than that you look alright, your legs a bit mangled but I don’t see any major damage.”

Wade nods. “Thanks, see you at home.” He wants to get Robocop out of here as soon as he can.

“I’m taking you home,” Nate says softly. “You’re not gonna walk or take a cab.” He rolls his eyes. “Not after walking in front of a bus for fuck-knows why.”

“Yeah well, I’m fine,” Wade says in his defense.

“You, Fuck-wit, are gonna let me cut this hand off of you and you’re gonna come home and grow a new one.” He says “You don’t have to talk to me, but you’re gonna let me do this.” He reaches back as Weasel brings the knife and bucket. “Just take it easy, and bite on this.” Nate folds a washcloth from Weasel and puts it in Wade’s mouth. Wade takes a breath and Nate starts to cut through the flesh. Wade feels the tears in his eyes briefly and he turns away.

Once the hand is off he won’t feel much pain, but he does feel it, acutely. Nate Wraps his arm in a bar towel and they put the wrapped stump in a gallon zip-top bag to keep it from bleeding all over the truck.

Nate carries him, much to his profane objections setting him in one of the seats. Wade uses his one good foot to scoot him up in the chair and waits quietly. While Nate and Weasel discuss something, and another golden card is passed, this time from Cable to Weasel, the end of Daniel Grant, and their entry to being paid.

The entire ride home is in silence, save for the light chatter of public radio. At home, Nate carries him up the stairs and sets him on the couch in the living area. “I gotta get my tools outta the truck I’ll be right back and take you to your room.” He turns.

“Fuck that.” Wade shifts to stand but it’s hard his leg faults and he falls slightly catching himself on the love seat.  He gets about four feet toward his room, snail crawling his way when he hears Cable chuckle.

“Damnit, Wade….”

“Fuck you.” He says “I can do this myself.”

“You’re like a goddamn toddler.” Nate sits down. “I know, I raised one.” He’s just gonna watch him crawl, fine, he can.

“Fuck you Cable, FUCK EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU.”

“So angry.” Cable is musing behind him. “Must be hard to be such a little dick, when you’re laid so low.”

Wade shifts now, pushing up on his stump and his hand and stands on shaky legs. “You’re a goddamn asshole, shoulda left me there.”

“I am not leaving you in some GODDAMN PISS BAR to heal overnight.” Nate stands up and frowns at him. “What the fuck is going on Wilson!?” He raises his hands. “WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK WADE?” He stands tall. “Talk.”

Wade turns, he wants it, he’s got it. “I can’t die, you can you fucking moron!” He takes his hat off slamming it to the ground. “You are a stupid idiot, gonna get yourself killed, fuck you!”

Nate pauses briefly. “This wasn’t about the comment-”

“No this isn’t about your GODDAMN WIFE!” He waves his stump, pointing it to the door. “Just go home to fucking her and leave me alone!” Wade turns and starts to zombie shuffle to his room.

“I can’t Wade, I can’t go back home-” Nate says and he chokes on his breath a bit. Wade stops. “I came here, knowing that if I succeeded in saving them, I could not go back,” He sniffles. “That if I failed I had no reason to-”

“But you can go back.” Wade turns certain.

“I can’t, I didn’t even have enough fuel in the time device to MAKE that sort of jump back.” Nate shakes his head. “When you stopped Russell, changed his mind, he didn't come to kill my family. It self corrects at that point, I still arrive home, They’re still there, in the future, with a VERSION of me.”

“You have no reason to go back in time to stop it,”  Wade says softly. “So he’ll just live…”

“I’m a duplicate double.” Cable continues, “That’s what the time theorists call what I am.” He nods “Wade, I can’t go back, because if I do that time stream will correct for the error.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ll fucking die, sooner than I want.” He slaps his knees as if he’s made a decision. “I can’t go back, Wade, and I’m sorry if my memories of those people are fond. I love them, but they have me, a version of me, and if I go back I just muddy shit up in the future.” He shakes his head. “So I, what did you say? I didn’t get my panties in a twist and I learned to live here. I saved them, and gave myself back to my wife and daughter because they…..They deserve that. I knew I would take whatever was left, that’s this life.”  He waves a hand and turns with a sigh. “Night Wade.”

“You can die,” Wade argues, and that means something because he can’t, not easily anyway. “You can’t just use your powers willy nilly cause that shit is gonna kill you.” He waves his remaining hand pointing at the metal on Nate’s arm. “You get this great Job, fly me to Canada, to kill people, and save kids.” He shakes his head “but that is not worth anything if you are FUCKING DEAD CABLE!”

“I know that, but those kids needed help-”

“That’s no excuse.” Wade waves his hand around. “If you liked kids so much you’d be over at the goddamn mansion with Colossus, teaching algebra or some shit.”

“Wade I had to do something.” He says “I had to do what I could to get through that. I needed to get us through that and out of there..” he sighs. “I didn’t have to use my powers.” He nods “You’re absolutely right, but I wanted to get finished, end that mission.” He shakes his head. “Go back to the hotel and watch you jump on God damned bed like an idiot.”

“That’s a load of horse shit.” Wade frowns, voice lowering.

“Subjective,” Nate argues and Stands up, coming to him. They stand so close now, “I want to give you a-” Nate has to think for a moment. “Truth.”

“What sort of truth?” Wade asks, he’s never been good with truth, it’s a shitty mistress and a horrendous roommate.

“Wade, my name is Nathan Christopher Charles Summers.” He takes the only hand Wade has left when Wade reaches for him.

“Wait like Cyclops Douche?”

“Exactly like Cyclops Douche.” Nate sighs. “He is, or will be, my father.”

“Oh ew.” Wade frowns at him.

“I know, I almost can’t believe it myself.” Nate smiles at him reaching up to pull a bloody leaf from somewhere on the side of Wade’s head.

“Wait if Varsity McDouchebag is your dad, who is your mom?”

“My mother's name is Madelyne Pryor,” Nathan explains to him. “She’s a clone of Jean Grey.” He says softly. “That’s why I do not go to the mansion.” He says “I could probably not keep mental walls up to keep her out, Jean, anyway.”

“That sounds like a comic book load of horseshit.” Wade frowns looking around.

Nate smiles down at him. “It’s the truth.”

“Fuck you,” Wade says, but it’s lost all the heat it had. The anger has mostly bled out of him.

“Wade I’m so sorry.” He frowns. “I didn’t know my wellbeing meant so much to you-” he sighs “I see now that I- should have taken your feelings into account.”

It gets silent, nearly dead silent between them. Nate takes the opportunity to pull back, Wade thinks he’s going to leave him, let him go. Wade tries to pull forward but before he can Nate is kissing him, deep and slow. He cradles Wade’s head in his hand and Wade’s pulse flutters to life. When they part, Wade licks his lips and smirks. “So I’m a big idiot?” He nods “Gotcha.”

“No,” Nate says, running his fingers through his own hair. “You’re not, you had every right to be mad at me.” He smiles

“What would your wife have done.”

“She’d have put me on my goddamn ass, and never let me live it down.” He smiles. “As I said, you two have a ton in common.”

“Yeah well, we put up with you,” Wade nods. “Asshat.”

Nate laughs a bit. “That’s the goddamn truth.” He leans in pressing their foreheads together. “You need to rest.” He says softly. “And take some pain pills.”

“Cocaine is nice.” Wade agrees.

“Don’t have any here for you and I’m not driving back over to Al’s place.”

Wade’s eyes thin slightly. “What were you even doing over there?”

“I helped Al put together a few pieces of furniture she needed help with,” Nate smirks and turns Wade about to help him to his room.

“Why the fuck would you do that?” Wade laughs “So much more fun to watch her figure it out on her own.” He nods “Blind lady and an Allen wrench, should be a sitcom.”

“Why would I do that?” Nate leans in near his ear. “You weren’t going to help her,”

“Asshole.” He does smile though, glad Al has someone who will help her, even though he won’t tell her or Nate that, ever.

“Go ahead and tell me that I’m wrong princess.” There’s hot breath below his earlobe and a kiss lands on his pebbled skin.

“Can’t...won’t…. Whatever.” Wade shrugs as they get to his door.

Nate gets him inside his room and helps him strip out of his clothes that are bloody and stuck to half-healed skin. Nate has to know how much it hurts but makes quick work of the stuff that’s starting to heal into Wade’s flesh. Nate gives him a few minutes to finish undressing and heads to the kitchen for the meds.

Wade drops his soiled clothing in a laundry basket labeled Bloodbath, and takes a quick piss, and a sort of shower. His mangled leg is healing well, and he can put weight on it without shooting pain now, so that’s coming along. He grabs a towel and starts to dry off.

His stump hand is starting to form tiny little nubs that will, in the morning, be fingers. “Wade,” Nate says from beyond the bathroom door. “Got you some food and some of the pills, I’ll set the tray on your bed.”

“I love the room service around here,” he calls back.

“Yeah well don’t get used to it.” Nate’s boots fall away. “And next time you want to take the bus? Don’t.” He can hear him calling back to the door.

Wade runs his hand over his face and smirks. “Asshole.” Though he says it fondly. He exits the bathroom, in just a pair of boxers covered in the character Elmo, and he sits on the edge of the bed. He takes the two pills, pops them in his mouth, and swallows them.

The tray has a small plastic cup for the pills, a plate with a sandwich, and a beer. He picks up the grilled ham and cheese sandwich on the plate and takes a big bite. “Feel better?” Nate peeks in and leans on the corner of the wall.

Wade nods. “Yeah, and this is good.” He holds up the sandwich. “Thanks.”

“Glad you like it.” His smile lowers as he comes forward to lean down looking at the deep wound in his shoulder. “How's that feeling?”

“Fine, it’ll heal.” He shifts. “There’s no metal in it, I told you it was through and through.”

“Okay.” Nate looks skeptical. “I’ll let your judgment take reign there.” He takes the empty tray when wade basically eats the rest of the sandwich in one bite. He sets the beer on the nightstand. “You need to get some sleep, let your mutation sort this out.”

“What about you?”

“I have to clean and check weapons from the mission, get stuff put away.” He nods. “I won’t be far.”

Wade nods at him. “Okay.” He lays back on the bed, and Nate helps him sort out the sheets and get himself under the covers. “Cause I wanna talk about what happened in there, between you and me, that kiss- that-” He shakes his head as if he isn’t sure what to say. The world is getting blurry. What were those pills?

“Sleep.” Nate’s hand taps his arm but he still hands him the TV remote. “I’ll be back in a bit.” He leaves, and props Wade’s door open.

Wade wakes up and looks around his room. He checks his hand, it’s back, and he flexes it gently. “Ok.” He looks over the edge of the bed reaching down for his unicorn that fell off. “Sorry, Pauly.” He sets her down and turns to see Nate. He passed out in the comfy chair in the corner of the room, a book in his hands, and the dorkiest pair of reading glasses on his eyes.

Wade grabs his phone off the nightstands and takes a few pictures with a smile. A purr makes him look the other way. Fig jumps up on the bed and starts to rub her face on his fresh hand.

He pets her, briefly, still untrusting of her entirely but she hops off the bed and right into Nate’s lap. That startles him awake. “Hey,” he blinks “Fig.” He looks up meeting Wade’s eyes. “Hey, you’re awake.” He reaches up pulling the readers off his eyes to fold them up and drop them in his shirt pocket. He sets the book aside on the small table and pushes Fig onto the floor.

Wade struggles to put his phone up. “Yeah, this is no Bueno.” He says softly.

“Something wrong?” Nate sits up and stretches his neck.

Wade shakes his head and points in Nate’s direction. “Your last name is Summers.”

Nate blanks at him, silence falling over them for a moment before they both break out in laughter.  Nate stands coming to the bed and leans down over Wade.

Wade smiles up at him. “Well, you gonna kiss me or paint a fresco?”

Nate nods. “Could kick your ass.”

Wade shrugs, “Could do both.”

Nate chuckles and kisses him. Wade pulls and uses the larger mutant’s weight to pull him down over the top of him. 
 
To be continued-

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Wade is pretty well healed in a few days, and life gets back to somewhat normal. Nate is so domestic, and Wade doesn’t let him forget it. He cooks, cleans, spends time with the damn cat. They are carrying on their lives. They snuggle on the couch, cuddle even, and kiss like there’s no tomorrow in sight, but there’s nothing more. That bothers wade, just a bit.

The History Channel drones on the TV. Some retired anchor is talking about World War II tanks, and Nate is fascinated. Wade lays on the couch, head laying on Nate’s lap, looking at his phone. “There’s a museum in New Orleans,” Wade informs him. “For old people like you,”'

“We should go.” Nate looks down at him. “You like old people, you watch enough Golden Girls to make me puke.” Though there isn’t any heat in it, it’s all calm.

“You take that back! Dorothy Zbornak is a National Treasure.” Wade smiles, and lifts his phone to show the museum on a map. “It’s like a mile from canal street. We can get a beer, some benoits, there’s fun to be had there.” He smiles “But not like in an Interview with the Vampire sort of way, I mean you can get laid if you find a drunk enough person.”

Nate chuckles and looks over to him. “Sit up.”

Wade does, kicking his legs over the couch and scoots closer to show him the pictures. “You could float me into one of these planes they have hanging from the ceiling.”

“I could float you to my bed.” Nate says out of nowhere, warm metallic fingers touch his face and turn him to face Nate.

Wade leans in kissing him deeply, and Nate pulls him closer. Wade’s phone falls out of his hand but doesn’t drop to the floor. Nate floats it and the remote to the table and sets them down.

Wade is hard too, he wants this, he does, but why does he feel so guilty about it? He decides he’s gonna try to ignore this feeling, and that makes him panic. “I want you.” He shakes his head. “Fuck.”

“Isn’t admitting the first step?” Nate smirks and touches his face. “There were steps you said with this...right? Or were you just being an asshole again.” Those metal fingers are warm and hard, and when they grab Wade’s ass the younger mutant hisses softly.

“Fuck you and your AA meeting shit.” Wade clambers over his legs and straddles him on the couch. They’ve done this: they’ve made out, hard dicks touching. It is a thrill, but he cares what Nate thinks, he’d never admit it, but he does.

“It’s a thrill?”

“Stop reading my mind.” He smacks Nate’s arm hard. “You promised no more telepathy.” He shakes his own hand “God damned metal arm!” He sucks in a breath. “JESUS.”

Nate sighs and looks at his hand to make sure he hasn’t broken any fingers.  “I didn’t, you asshole, you said it out loud.” He smiles up at him and pulls him down for another kiss. His metal arm squeezes Wade’s ass causing him to gasp.

They kiss again, and Wade leans into Nate holding his face in both hands. “Stop.” He freezes, swallows. He has to back off, this is going to go too far.

Nates smiled at him as Wade’s hands and eyes fell. “Wade,” he shifts them slightly, pulling Wade into a hug. “Aliya, she’d want me to be happy, isn’t that what Vanessa would want for you?” Nate is speaking so low and soft, and his gruff voice makes his lip shake.

“Do you still love her?” Wade asks, he’s afraid of this, so fucking afraid. He shakes his head, and decides flight is gonna win this conversation, not fight. His chest is pounding and the blood is pooling in his ears, thrumming along with his heart.

Nate’s grip on his back is Iron. “Aliya? Of course I do, and I know you love Vanessa. That would never be up for debate. That never, ever, has to change.”

“I just don’t know, What would Aliya think?”

“Honestly? I think she’d want me to be happy.” He takes a breath. “Would Vanessa want for your happiness too?”

“I guess? She was never good with reading instructions, or giving instructions, or-” Wade laughs uncomfortably. “Saving instruction manuals.”

“What did she tell you?” Nate’s hands rub up his arms, attempting to be comforting.

“She told me not to fuck Colossus.”

“Well, at least she and I are in agreement,” Nate smiles at him. “She didn’t say anything about me?”

Wade shakes his head “No,” he turns to him. “Not really.”

Nate nods. “Your turn, princess.”

“For what Sugar Beast?” Wade leans up and looks him in those damned eyes. The one that glows flickers slightly.

“What do

you

want?” He has to consider that a moment, what does he want? His chest pounds again.

“To be in control of what’s happening around me.” He blurts out. “Yeah, that.” There’s a catharsis that comes with admitting that. “I want to be in control of what is happening to me.” It’s a relief.

Nate doesn’t look angry or put out. “You got it, whatever you want.” He seems to mean it, sincerely.

The vice that’s been wringing his chest loosens slightly. “Whatever I want?”

“Yeah, Wade.” Nate smirks touching his face. “Whatever you want.”

“So we could bounce like bunnies in the bed of the truck?” He’d have waggled his eyebrows if he had any.

“If that’s what you want.” Nate’s mouth forms that thin line and his eyes look like they aren’t thrilled by the idea but he’d do it. Loyal Nathan summers. “Anything you want.”

Wade shifts standing up. “You, you’re ok with this?”

“I want you to feel better.” Nate says. “If this helps that, then of course I am ok with this.”

“Eggplant up your ass?” He gets a big smile on his face. Nate taps his leg gently. “Ok no veggie Isle.” He looks around. “A bed.” He nods “My bed.”

Nate nods and stands up. Wade’s legs slide down and he stands as Nate does.  “You want to stop at any time you can. This is your rodeo.”

“We could get an inflatable bull ride for the garage.” he beams “Oh lord we need an AIR HOCKEY TABLE!”

“Wade?” Wade looks at him expectantly.

“Yeah?”

“Stay on topic.” His mouth turns up in a smirk.

Wade takes his hand pulling him along towards the smaller bedroom. Wade pulls him inside, lights off and shuts the door.

Wade kisses him like he’s a lost ship looking for harbor. Forcing Nate back up against the door with force and taking what he feels he can. Diving in head first. Nate moans, and it sets his spine on fire as his hands scramble with the older man’s belt.

Nate just stands still allowing him to pull at the tied strings of the basketball shorts. “Touch me.” Wade freezes. “Touch me now, fucking Hell.... NOW!”

Nate does. One hand snakes behind the small of Wade’s back and his other palms at his jeans. Wade’s back goes rigid, and he moans. “Fuck, Cable.”

“Is that what you want?” Nate leans in nibbling at the base of his collar bone, and making a line up toward his ear to whisper softly. “To get fucked?”

“Yes?” Why is he unsure, he wants to be sure.  “Yes.” he nods emphatically.  “YES!” He pulls Nate into the room and backs up until he lands on the bed and the damn cat. She hisses hopping off the bed.

“Damnit Fig.” Nate waves her off when she attempts to get on the bed again. “Go on, girl.”

Wade smirks at him and pulls him on the bed, “Gonna traumatize your cat.” He fumbles with his jeans. Nate’s hand settles on his hips, and he takes the jeans by the waist and pulls, and wade lifts his hips shimmying out of them.

“Gotta be a little traumatized to live under this roof.” Nate discards them on the floor and takes his shirt off. He drops it into the pile he’s started on the floor.

“Shut up Cable.” Wade extends his hands to Nathan and motions him closer. Nate closes the gap coming to him and kissing him deeply reaching around his back and lifting him up higher on the bed.

Wade is pulling Nate’s shorts down and looks, he has to, can’t help himself. “Is that why they call you Cable?” He is dead serious. “Wow.” his cock is mostly flesh but there is a bit of metal along his hip that extends just above it. If Wade were to bottom out on it. He might feel that metal against his ass.

“No, but hell if I’m gonna change your mind if that’s what you think.” Said in the most sincere voice. Nate winks his technological eye at Wade. That does something Wade doesn’t expect, it makes him giddy.

Wade’s gonna text EVERYONE when they are done about Cable’s cable, because from what he’s just heard, he’s been given blanket permission to brag.

Nate murmurs a few choice words against his neck and nibbles a long line down his throat, he doesn’t hesitate over the cobbled skin and for that Wade is grateful. He doesn’t pause, act like Wade is repulsive, or touch him with tender, delicate hands. Nate’s touches are firm and confident, and Wade needs that right now.

Nate is pulling at his elmo boxers and soon they are both naked. Breathing heavily and staring at one another waiting for the other to move. “It’s your move.” Nate reminds him as if they’re playing chess. Wade is looking him over, hands touching over metal road rash.

“There’s so much more than there should be.” Nate looks away slightly, “Oh yeah this is, my lead?”

Nate turns back to meet his eyes, “Your lead.” Nate does lean into him and kisses him deeply. It makes wade’s bones feel like fire. Nate backs off slightly, but stays within arms reach.

“I want to fuck you.” Wade blurts out. He takes a deep breath and swallows.  He is ready to hear no, ready to be rejected, ready for that idea to be kicked out the window, because Nathan Mini Mcdouchebag Summers has to be a top, right? “Like right here right now,” he trembles. “Lube optional, be that your option.”

Lay it out there you fucking scaredy cat.

He tells himself. “I want to fuck you.” he says it more firmly.

Nate’s brow peaks slightly. “Alright,” That’s all there is, no blame, no awful face, no rejection, just if it’s what he wants. Boy does he want it. “Lube? Yes, if I have a choice.”

“Yeah.” Wade turns around slightly rolling to his left to get on his knees grabbing the drawer pull by the bed. There is one bottle, a fairly small 4 oz bottle of Astroglide. “I liked the name, made me think of that dog from the Jetsons.”

“Wade?”  Nate is up on his knees on the bed now.

“I know, I know.” he sighs “Stay on topic.” He comes back over, knees pressing into the mattress, and he swallows. “I guess that puts you on the bottom.” He thumbs over his shoulder to the head of the bed.

Nate’s hands sneak up around his jaw gently. “If that is where you want me.”

“Yeah, that’s exactly where I want you.” Wade nods. “Face up, I need to look at you.”

Nate puts his hands on the bed, pausing on his hands and knees. Wade lets out a low breath. “Damn…” he reaches down grabbing himself to stroke a moment, he’s not going to last long no matter what they do.

“Ok there?” Nate rolls onto his back, moving his legs around either side of wade.

“Yeah.” He nods. “Oh, yeah.” he strokes a bit more. “Fuck.”

“That is the plan.” Nate shifts downward on the bed, feet flat, knees up.

Wade’s hand moves to Cable’s cable, cause he’s never NOT going to call it that, and he strokes. Cable grunts making a moaning sound and looks to be in the same predicament. “This might not last so long.”

Nate shifts thrusting himself up into Wade’s hand. “Princess we got plenty of time.” Nate smiles at him and reaches for him. Wade can’t help that gravity and he lowers over Nate to kiss him deeply. “C’mon.” Nate smiles at him. “I know you need it, and just because this is a first time- It doesn’t have to be the last time, Wade.”

“Need it, Want it, whatever...” Wade sits back popping open the bottle and squeezing some out into his palm. He clicks the bottle shut, tossing it to one side of the bed and palms on himself a moment with a moan. “Fuck that’s cold.” He gasps, and his mind darts to Vanessa giving him a handy.

Wade finds himself frozen, locking eyes with Nate. “I-” He feels like he’s betrayed the moment.

Nate shifts forward pulling Wade closer kissing him deeply. Wade shakes his head pressing their foreheads together. “Help me.” Wade begs softly.

“I can’t, Wade. You have to do this yourself.” Nate frowns and kisses him again. “I am here with you, you aren’t alone.” He murmurs. “But this is you, all you Wade Wilson.” The way Nate says his name makes him tingly. “I am here for you.”

He finds bravery somewhere behind his left kidney and hauls it to the fore of his mind. “Lay back.” Wade orders softly, and Nate listens to him, sliding back on the sheets. “Don’t think.” He is telling himself. “Don’t think.” He looks into Nate’s eyes. “What you fucking do to me is criminal.”

“Lock me the fuck up then.” Nate chuckles as he pulls his knees back, and Wade’s hand snakes over his balls and down to his ass. He find’s Nate’s entrance and pushes in slowly. The banter helps it really does.

Wade smiles down at him, “I found something,” he says in a sing-song voice. “A deep dark cave…..”

“God you’re annoying.” Nate mutters. “Faster.”

“A good, slow,  finger fuck never hurt anyone.” Wade nods sagely, it’s wise advice, truth in words, he should trademark it. He’s gonna put it on a t-shirt.

“Wade.” Nate groans.

“This is like one of those shitty porny novels, they have all this prep, and write about fingering but it’s not really realistic is it?”

Nate’s head rolls backwards and his cock twitches as he groans. Wade knows he can’t do this for too long or he’ll lose Nate before he’s even had a chance. Wade scoots closer his knees under Nate’s. He removes his finger and hand. “Here we go, it’s the last train to Clarksville.” He doesn’t have to tell Nate to relax at all. Nate is doing his damndest to stay as boneless as possible it appears with his breathing slowing like it is. Being relaxed will save him keeping loose means it won’t hurt as badly if at all.

Wade opens his cheeks, pulling them back with his thumbs to make room. Wade makes a pleased sound in the back of his throat as he scoots forward. Holding his own cock with one hand he presses against Nate’s entrance, it takes them a moment of slipping and flumbling for Wade to push hard enough to enter.  Reality is messy and filled with false starts, and he’s glad it makes them feel more real, more human, less mutant. Nate lets out a puff of breath and gasps in some air. “Wade, Jesus.”

Wade grabs his hips and pulls himself until he’s completely sheathed inside. “Holy Fuck.”

“Wade.” Nate repeats, as if he’s ready. Wade looks down moving his hands to Nate’s knees using them to leverage himself in and out. “Oh god.”  Nate reaches for his own cock as Wade rolls his hips in and out. Watching Nate stroke himself while he’s getting fucked on Wade’s own cock is too much Wade has to slow down.  He needs a distraction.

“No.” Wade bats Nate’s hand away. “I can do both.” He takes up Nate’s cock and strokes in time with his thrusting and tries to slow when he can feel the tingling rising up in his spine.

“Don’t fight it kid.” Nate mutters below him. “Come on, Princess, cum for me.”

“Speak for yourself.” Wade thrusts hard to drive home the point, and his cock. “Fucking hell.” He shakes his head “Nope, not going to last.” He leans forward releasing Nate’s cock and kisses him riding against him hard, rutting to finish what he’s started. “Oh - ff-f uck.” Wade gasps and slams into Nate’s ass hard freezing like a rock as his mouth gapes and he reaches his climax.

“That’s it.” Nate says breathlessly. “There you go.” Nate’s hands pet his neck and shoulders, while Wade pushes deeper still, finishing off his orgasm.

“You?” He asks as he looks down, he’s balls deep and he loves it.

“Not yet, super close.”

“Super close superhero...got it.” Wade groans leaning up and pulling out with a gasp before flopping onto his ass between Nate’s legs. “I got you.”

Wade gasps trying to catch his breath before leaning down over Nate and taking his cock in his mouth. Nate leans up “Wade you don’t have t-” Nate’s head slams back and he groans obscenely. “Where’d you learn...ugh ...that?” He gasps.

Wade bobs up and down tongue wrangling around, twisting and swirling and doing all sorts of things he knows that he himself likes. He lifts, sucking on just the tip of Nate’s head and strokes the lower half of his cock, tugging until he can feel Nathan tense.

Things in the room start to float. The remote, their clothes, the lube, even Fig. Nate comes loudly, and in the most undignified manner, hands balled in the sheets. When he finishes he flops back on the pillow, and the levitated objects crash to the ground. Fig drops onto her feet on the floor and hisses rushing to hide under the bed.

Wade’s mouth is a mess, most of it swallowed but some of Nate’s cum is splattered up over his eye. “Was that ok?” Because he has no idea, none, he has no idea if this was even what Nate wanted.

Nate looks down at him. “You’re asking me, if that was ok?”

“I am?” He shrugs. “I mean...you levitated half the room.”

“That-” Nate takes a deep breath and lets it out shaking. “Was fucking amazing. Nice work. Gold star.”

“Do I really get a gold star? Can we go again?” Again like a child at a carnival.

Nate smiles at him. “Yeah kid, anything you want.” Unlimited ride pass acquired.

“I want you to do all the work next time.” Wade chuckles.

Nate shifts up on the bed and pulls Wade closer. “Anything you want.” He assures and kisses him, even with his face and mouth covered in cum. Wade briefly hesitated but if Nate wasn’t going to mind neither was he.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Seven months pass, Wade sits at the bar with his glass. “ADAM!” He whines.

Come on man!” He shakes a small shot glass. “Help a brother out!”

“Weasel told you no, if I tell you yes, it’s my ass.” The boy says backing into the kitchen with a tub of dishes.

“Trying to bribe the grasshopper for more alcohol?” Weasel doesn’t seem surprised as he comes behind the bar. “Dishes now.” He orders Adam to the back room.

“Yes! What’s with getting honorable help?” Wade smirks, and then smiles at Nate appearing to drop down to a seat at his side. “Hey babe,”

“Hi there,” Nate kisses him just to annoy Weasel, and that makes Wade smile.

Weasel makes a puke sound. “Fuck you guys.”

“We did twice last night.” Wade says with a huge smile on his face. “I could describe in detail-”

“Wade!” Weasel and Nate chastise him at the same time.

“Jesus Wade.” Nate’s voice has frustration but no heat. Nate turns to the bar and wraps his knuckles on the surface. “Two of that new whiskey you have Weasel..straight for me,” he thumbs to wade. “His on the rocks.”

“You got it,” Weasel pours both whiskey shots and puts them in front of Nate, who pushes the one with ice to Wade with a smile. “You guys are fucking idiots,”

“I’m paying, so shut the fuck up.” Nate picks the shot up between his thumb and index finger and downs it with smile. “That’s fucking good.” He nods “Get me two bottles of that for next week?”

“I can do that, as long as your sex life stays out of my bar.” Weasel leans on the bar now. “Got a job if you boys are interested.”

Nate turns the shot glass upside down setting it on the bar. “What sort?”

Weasel looks right at Wade like he’s gonna not behave himself. “Mexico,” he reaches below the bar pulling out a few photos. “They say you might know him.” His finger is on a little boy.

The images show a boy ducking into an alley, and a scaled arm in the picture. “That looks like Leon.” Nate turns to wade. “Is that him?”

“That’s scale’s arm.” Wade frowns. “I thought they were at No fun McMansion, what would Leon and Thane be doing in Mexico?” He holds up his hands. “I mean I know what I would be doing in Mexico.” Nate glares at him. “You, you know if we were both there.” He smiles brightly.

“You’re an idiot.”

“They were with Colossus, seriously we saw the X-Brats pick them up.”

“They were.” Nate flips the picture over looking for a time stamp. “Where is this Weasel? When was this taken?”

“That is Mexico City, and it was taken two days ago-” Wade and Nate are off their seats. “WHOA guys, you don’t even know the job.”

“It’s to kill him, all your jobs are hits.” Nate says sternly. “I’m not doing that, unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

Wade blinks “We could try, you know for fun.” he offers.

“We’re not killing him or the other boy, if we don’t have to.” He turns the picture to Wade. “We gotta find them.”

“Go team babysitters club!” He holds up his hand for a high five and Nate walks away from him. “KILLJOY!” Weasel taps him with the gold card. Wade takes it in his hand and nods before following Nate outside.

“Get your weapon kits here before you leave. I'll have them transported to your hotel.” Wade turns around to walk backwards to listen as Weasel wipes down the bar. “Hotel info will be emailed to you along with the contract, if you want to sign it, if not, you’re paying up front for all expenses!”

Wade waves his acknowledgement and turns catching up with Nathan who is still looking at the image. “We should talk to Colossus.” Nathan is insisting.

“I hate that guy.” Wade leans back “OH LOOK AT ME I’M COLOSSUS!” he rolls his eyes, “I want to punch him in his pretty aluminum face!”

“You do not.” Nate chuckled. “You get a boner just saying his fucking name hot shot.”

Wade digs at his crotch with his hands trying to hide said boner. “SHUT UP!”

Nate smiles putting an arm around him and kissing his forehead. “Come on kid we gotta pack.”

“UGH!” Wade grones. “We could just kill him and get paid.”

Nate turns the photo to Wade. “If we need to kill Leon we will, but that little boy there.” He’s pointing at Thane’s little scaled arm. “He’s a child.”

Wade sighs “Fuck, fine.”

“Look on the bright side, there’s mexican food and tequila everywhere. And if we get this done there might be time for sex even.”

Wade suddenly has fire under his ass. “What are we waiting for!” He points to the truck. “ONWARD!

Nate chuckles and shakes his head. “I love you, you big idiot.” he murmurs to his left.

Wade leans into him, against his metal shoulder. “Love you too Nate.” He smiles. “Can you bring the BIG guns?” He doesn’t like to linger on the sentimentality unless they are really alone, and really naked.

Nate nods. “I’ll bring all the big guns.” he smirks. “And my weapons, and if you’re good I’ll even bring some candy.”

Wade tried not to giggle like a little kid.. “Come on!” he pulls on Nate’s arm and they head toward the truck. “I like ALL these things! I gotta pack, Paul, she’s never been to Mexico!”