Archive of Our Own ^beta

Peter Parker feared this would be a long day.
He woke up ten minutes later than he should have, having set his alarm at the wrong time. He almost forgot to take his computer, and started to put his suit on without any underwear first. On top of that, he couldn't skip breakfast to save some time because he rarely had breakfast in the first place. Off to a great start. It definitely wasn’t the worst morning in his life,God knew he had far worse, but far from the best one either. Peter was on a mission to gain respect from other members of the faculty, and being late once again surely wouldn’t help his case. So, it was in his best interest to hurry up.

As he was on his way to the university, he came across some commotion on the streets. People running away, screaming, cars honking and driving worse than Peter(which wasn’t easy). If he had to guess, he’d say it was probably some new guy (or new lady ! Often the ladies were even more dangerous) terrorizing New yorkers who once again, didn't ask for any of this. Either way, his students would have to wait, he thought as he took off his clothes in an alley.
The clock hadn't hit nine that he was already swinging blindly towards a new enemy, trying to understand what he was dealing with.

Okay, so that guy kind of knew what he was doing.
Looks wise, he had a helmet, probably a bikers, and had overall no distinguishing signs. All of his body was covered, and he had the confident stance that amateur criminals couldn't dream of replicating. He had a weapon, which honestly resembled a water gun and blasted lasers of various colors and effects. So, the villain of the day seemed to know what he was doing, but not did care too much about his looks. Unfortunate, honestly. Peter always found that villains made a greater impact if they were fashionable. Not that he wanted them to make an impact, but it made the fights just a tiny bit more fun. He kind of wished Deadpool was here, but couldn't afford to text him in a situation where he was at risk of getting hit by mysterious rays of light. His partner probably would have found something funny to say about the man before him, whether it was about his getup or his firearm.

So, get the gun.That was Peter's goal. He swung closer, still out of reach but observant and trying to get all the people out of that part of the avenue, leaving him and the aspiring villain with space for a fight, and a perimeter where civilians would be out of reach from the mysterious gun and other collateral damages. Quickly, he associated the colored surges with specific effects. Red, laser ray. Orange, a strange sticky goo. White, freezing effect.
" Hey ! Didn't your parents teach you not to play with weapons ? I'm gonna have to confiscate this !
— Spider-man ! At last you show ! You seem so eager to laugh, so I'll give you something to laugh about!"

He fires a green laser. Something red flashes before Peter's eyes, a couple feet away from him, and then it's all gone. The ringing of his spider-sense, the green light, and the familiar red silhouette. It went as quick as it came.

" Man, what did you do ?"Peter manages to say in a strangled voice.

He was starting to panic a bit. Was that... someone ? Was that Wade ? Someone else? He didn't have someone in mind–no he didn't!– but the simple thought of someone getting evaporated to save him didn't really make him happy, whoever it might be.
" Seems I took care of your little friend, Spidey ! But don't worry, you'll be quick to join him !"

Peter tried to focus on the menace, stopping his thoughts from straying to his mysterious savior, and dashed towards the man.
Even with his steps burdened with emotions, he quickly dodged the bullets of light coming his way. Orange, White, could have dealt with it. Red, red, gotta be careful with red. Green. Red. White. Red. Red. Green. Green. Green. Green. That's a lot of green. What the f### does Green do ?
Now he was close enough to do something productive. He yanked the helmet of off the criminal’s face and punched. Right in the masked man’s face. His opponent let go of his strange weapon as his helmet flew off, collapsing to the ground.

"Honestly your gun looks kinda cool, you should sell the design for the ones that shoot soap bubbles, you know ? " said the hero as he picked up the firearm, carefully examining it.
"This one maybe. ” Answered the man (who was a very bright blonde. Peter was honestly a bit impressed by that color.)a little too confidently. “But I don't think the children would like this one"

Peter's spider-sense made him jump left as the weird man pulled out a regular pistol. A shot fired.
Then the pain registered, making his vision go white for a second. Better in the shoulder than the heart, he thought, still groaning in pain. He dropped the weapon, and the other man jumped to get it.
Immediately Peter shot a web on the cannon. Green light. The web is gone. He seems to really want me to disappear, damn.

He tries to web the masked man's hand, but misses and hits his arm. Crap.
Web. Green light. Web. Green light. It's almost choreographic, the way they shoot at each other with this frenzied rhythm. Green light. Web. Green light. Web.

Unexpectedly, the colorful gun falls to the ground, webbed down. To be honest, Peter is surprised at his own doing. The pain of the bullet wound happens to be kind of distracting. But as he plunges towards the arm and its owner, suddenly, everything turns green.

_______

A car is rushing towards him,honking frenetically. Peter turns to take the blonde man with him, but he’s already gone. That fucker. So he swings to the nearest street lamp.

The first thing he notices is how the streetlamp looks older than he thought they were in that area. It really is a weird thought to have first, but it’s what comes to him anyway. It’s only after that the most obvious issues register in his mind : cars ? The road was blocked a quarter prior, thanks to the madman. And the street was buzzing with people as if it were an average Tuesday morning. Did they all forget about the lunatic ? He was here just a minute ago !!

“Look mom, I told you Spider-man was real !”
What ? Of course Peter was real. The people of New York knew him for over a decade now, and his presence was no secret for any other place in the world. Yes, a man in red spandex with spider-like abilities wasn’t something you’d think possible at first, but the general public had had 14 years to get over it, even more if you took in account older supers or the X-Men. Yet here was a child, completely bewildered at his sight, holding the hand of his mother who seemed just as much baffled. But it wasn’t just them. People on the sidewalk were stopping on their tracks, looking, pointing, or even filming him. That often happened, but not like that. Not like they had never seen him before . What was happening ? Peter wished he could have had more answers at that moment, but he heard police sirens. Not that he hated the boys in blue but…

The alley in which he had left his civilian clothes and his briefcase was empty. Crap. How could that be ? He had hid them under a dumpster, where no one would look, and webbed them up, ensuring even more security.

Seems like his students were going to wait for a good while.

As he swinged back to his apartment, he couldn’t shake off the uncanny feeling that something was off. And on his way, even more people jumped in surprise at his sight. Some even screamed.

What the hell, wondered Peter. Why were they so surprised ? He questioned whether it was safe enough that he could go back home. After all, he seemed to draw a lot more attention than usual, and he didn’t have any regular clothes to change into. He considered texting Wade for help- surely the mercenary would be more than happy to come in clutch- but that’s when he remembered two things : first, he was shot and needed a good patching up. Second, and maybe more important, he was pretty sure Wade took a hit for him earlier and disappeared.

He didn’t even feel like blaming the situation on Parker Luck this time. He was far too confused and stressed to crack jokes. The world was odd, he was shot, Deadpool vanished. Peter knew that, of course, his friend couldn’t die. Everyone knew, really, but that hadn’t stopped some villains from trying, and Peter from breaking down as he held the mercenary’s limp body. Fun times.

The vigilante concluded he had no other choice but to walk. If people didn’t pay attention to his bleeding shoulder, maybe he could pass as a cosplayer. It wouldn’t be the first time he did that. But it was far easier during convention season. People still gave him strange looks, and whispered as he walked past them, but the reactions were way tamer than before.

He entered his apartment by the outside, climbing out the window. He let himself fall onto the floor, not without a groan, due to the aching in his shoulder. And then he hears them. Footsteps, coming towards him. Yet, his spider-senses aren’t really alerted.

“Man what the hell ?! Okay, this is going too far, leave my house before I call- Are you shot?! ”

Peter can’t really believe it, but he’s pretty sure he’s hearing his own voice. Still lying on the ground, he jerks his head back to see the rest of the room. And here he is, staring into his own eyes. Did he go back in time ? That would explain a lot, but also, his other self doesn’t look a day younger than he is.

“Are you Spider-man ?”

It’s the stupidest question he’s ever asked, truly. Why is he asking himself if he is Spider-Man ? Of course he is. His other self stares at him with a mix of concern, confusion and fear, like you would at a drunk stranger coming up to you in the street.

“ I’m not. Are you?”
“What do you mean you’re not? You’re Peter Parker, aren’t you ? Of course we’re Spider-Man.”

If such a situation happened any other time, Peter would have handled it with more tact and less lying on the floor, but it seemed like the blood loss and exhaustion were getting to his head. He honestly couldn’t find any better way to explain the situation than to yank his mask off .

“ Are you me?”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you man, We’re-”
“Did they pull you out of a comic book ? Oh my God, did you travel realities ?”

That would make a lot more sense than the “going back in time” thing. But how would people know about Spider-Man if he never put on the mask in this universe? He wished he had time to talk things out with his other self, but he was shot and the pain wasn’t getting any better despite his healing factor.

“Probably ? I mean, I don’t know, do you have a first aid kit ? I have a shoulder to fix first, and then we can try to understand. ”

Once he got the bullet out and took care of the wound, he let his healing factor take care of the rest. It hurt like hell, but, once again, he had been through worse. However, at his lowest point, he at least had the comfort and familiarity of his flat, his real flat, or Wade’s. More often than not it was at Wade’s, with the mercenary himself present to help him tend to his wounds. Too bad for him, Deadpool wasn't here right now.
The Other Peter offered him to stay the night, which he gladly accepted. He took a well needed shower, borrowed some clothes, cleaned his suits and the floor where he bled out,and then they sat, and they talked for hours, from the late morning at which Peter had arrived, into the depths of the nights.

_____

What Peter learnt about that reality was shocking, to say the least. In this universe, he and all of the other supers were comic books and movie characters.
Everyone knew that Spider-Man was Peter Parker, and that poor guy was harassed endlessly throughout his life for resembling who was here, a fictional character. Still, the character had inspired him to uphold great morals in his life, and gave him his love for science, even if technology was way less developed in that universe.

In return, Peter told him about his adventures, finding his life wasn’t exactly like the comic books or movies. There were a lot of different storylines, and not every one of them actually happened in his universe. But the key elements of the stories matched with what he went through : being bitten by a radioactive spider, being an orphan, losing his Uncle Ben… most, if not every writer seemed to agree on those parts. The two Peter exchanged stories, watched some movies, and discussed the differences between the multiple universes in which he appeared. Peter especially liked the stories in which Miles Morales would appear- he liked the idea of seeing another young boy become Spider-man with him.
And then there was Deadpool. When Other Peter asked if Peter knew him, he had no idea what he was stepping into. Peter told him, maybe a little too enthusiastically, about all their adventures together and how they got to know each other, with all the ups and downs and the rocky start included. Knowing he was friends with DP in other universes made him feel weirdly warm inside. They even had a comic series together !

“You know, Pool is probably here as well. I hope he is .”

He didn’t realize he had said that last part out loud until after it came out. But he meant it. There was no one else in the world he wished he was sent to another universe with better than the mercenary.

“So, you and Deadpool are like…close, right ? You probably want to find him. Do you want me to help you ?
“ I think I’ll do well enough on my own, but thanks. Letting me crash here is already enough help.”
“Yeah, sure. Just like, avoid going out in the suit, you know. Even at night time. Since supers aren’t really a thing here. You’d just look like a lost cosplayer.”

Peter nods, thinking about it. Would it be better to live such a life ? He thought about it, and decided that no. Even if getting kicked and shot weekly hurt like hell, he also had the daily pleasure of swinging to the city and seeing the little kids’ faces when they saw Spider-Man. Moreover, in a world with no powers, would he have ever met Deadpool? The possibility of a routine without their patrols followed by rooftops dinners and Mario Kart tournaments accompanied by playful banter at Wade’s place seemed too lonely.

“Talking about suits,”Other Peter said again.” Did you and him ever… took off the masks ? Like, did you do all that identity reveal stuff?”
“No ! No way. I mean… I guess…we could, maybe. I didn’t even tell him my name. Everyone knows who Wade is, so it’ll mostly be me doing all the revealing and…”
“It’s scary.” A couple seconds pass. “ I get it. Showing the vulnerable parts of yourself, yada yada.”

None of them say it, but Peter guesses- no, he knows his other him is addressing his sexuality. A sort of Peter-sense. Did he have things in common with all of his alternate selves other than backstory ? Was sexuality one of them? He let go of that trivial thought to come back to the subject .

“ I think I wouldn’t mind him knowing all of me.”

The way Peter says it, almost in a whisper, seems oddly intimate and hesitant, but at the same time, it’s true. Despite being soft-spoken, it had come out abruptly, unexpectedly. But the sentiment was true. And just like that, Peter knew that if he could, he’d scream his real name atop of every rooftop just so there was a chance Wade would hear it. The thought of being face to face, masks removed with his friend was still scary, but the fear was emotional, rather than the anxiety of villains getting to him. When Peter had revealed his identity to MJ, he was scared that she would get too close to him when he was Spidey, and get targeted by his enemies. But with Wade… he would be revealing Peter, not Spider-Man. What if the man behind the mask didn't live up to the expectations Wade had of him ?

When Peter opened his eyes, he was tucked in on the sofa, and rays of sunshine danced scarcely through the blinds into the living room. He didn’t remember falling asleep. His shoulder still ached, obviously, but it was doing much better than the day before. His acute hearing quickly told him he was alone, and the note Other Peter left on the kitchen counter backed it up. << Left for work. It’s monday here btw. Waffles in the freezer, To heat with toaster. I come back at 6. Spare keys to use hung in the entryway. #Peter1 >> Peter chuckled at the signature. It was indeed accurate: that universe wasn’t his, making him a second, extra Peter.

While he ate his breakfast and dressed himself, the young man’s mind went to a lot of different topics. Did MJ, Gwen and Harry exist in this universe? Did Wade ? What did he work as ? How was Aunt May ? What of his enemies ? Norman, Doctor Octavius… did they live as regular people ? Had they pursued fantasies of grandeur with other means ? There were so many questions he had to ask Other Peter in the evening. But before that, he had to focus on his mission of the day: investigate Wade’s whereabouts.

It was almost five in the afternoon and Peter almost got in two fights, one at what would be one of Wade’s warehouses, and the second one at Sister Margaret’s. Going to the bar was really a last resort: even back in their home universe, the mercenary had stopped being a regular for a long while now.
As he made his way back to his fake home, a brilliant (yes, he had to brag) thought blossomed : Wade couldn’t exactly walk around in the suit , and surely wouldn’t show himself without it. Thus, Peter had better chances of finding him at night ! The plan seemed perfect : go back to the apartment, tell Other Peter about his newfound lead, and then climb up to the rooftop they usually met on. Thankfully, the city’s map was oddly identical. Was New York the same in every universe? That, maybe, was the ultimate question. He giggled to himself, turning the keys to open the door.

At a quarter past six, Other Peter came home. So, as said in the plan, he told him about the plan.

At half past seven, Other Peter finished eating the leftover pizza from the day before. Peter had declined the offer, hoping he’d get to eat dinner with Wade if he found him. He took a shower, and when he dressed himself again, he put his suit underneath his clothes.

At exactly seven past eight, Peter panicked and compared his 20 dollars bill to his Other self’s money. The differences were subtle, but they were here and noticeable. Other Peter agreed to give him another twenty bucks, in exchange for his. “As a memory”, he said. This made Peter think about how he had to get home eventually, but had no idea on how to do it. He didn’t like that thought.

At a quarter past eight, Peter ran out of patience and left to -hopefully- meet Wade. It was quite early- they usually didn’t meet up until nine- but he physically ached to go look for his partner in crime (or rather, crime-fighting). The slight possibility that he had dreamed of the encounter between the Merc and the villain, that he was truly alone in this universe persisted in his brain, and he had to make sure. All of his senses, all of him had felt DP’s presence during the fight yesterday, but he was crippling with doubt and he had to be sure. He couldn’t be alone. And he couldn’t leave Deadpool alone, in whichever universe he was in.

At twenty-eight past eight, Peter Parker sat atop of the building he and Wade would meet every other night. The time passed too slowly to Peter’s liking. He couldn’t stop fidgeting. He couldn’t stop himself from checking the time every minute, and he couldn’t stop the doubt.

Exactly twenty four hours before, Wade Wilson sat in Spider-Man’s place. A couple of hours before that, he had been hit with a laser beam that sent him to another universe. And what an universe. Here, him and Spidey were fictional. He was aware they always were, of course, but now they were fictional squared? This was too meta for him. Anyway. Back to how he ended up here. It really wasn’t that complicated, honestly: he was scrolling on Twitter, was tagged in plural posts about a new villain and Spidey getting ready to fight, and jumped down from his flat on the seventh floor. Thankfully, he wasn’t that far, and he arrived just in time to throw himself in the green light that would have otherwise hit his Spidey. And then he ended up here. Didn’t even have time to crack a joke, get fake mad at Spider-Man for not calling him, or even say Hi. He didn’t even get to say Hi !!!

The aftermath of getting blasted to another universe wasn’t fun either. Of course, Wade could immediately tell he wasn’t supposed to be here. But did he even exist here ? Did they ? Wade, DP, Spidey and his real identity ? Upon questioning some random citizens, he acquired the knowledge he desired. Not without seeming like a madman however, but Wade didn’t even care. He was a madman, he would leave this reality as soon as he found his partner, and this was still New York anyway. He probably wasn’t the weirdest thing these people had seen, or would see.
Unfortunately for Wade, the residents of that universe had too many answers. As readers, they knew everything about Peter and him. And when he had asked about the Deadpool and Spider-Man of this reality, he had obviously gotten his friend’s full name : Peter Parker.

Obviously he couldn’t blame the frightened strangers for saying the name of one of the world’s most popular characters in the world, but it still felt wrong. Of course, a possibility remained that his Spidey wasn’t a Peter. The merc just hoped that, whatever his name was, they would still be alliteration buddies.

An hour browsing the net in an internet café later, Wade was doomed. Pretty much all versions of Spider-Man that resembled the one he knew were indeed named Peter Parker. And he knew those comics could apply to their world, because they were also right about him. Yes, he was named Wade Winston Wilson, yes he was Canadian, and yes his relationship with Spidey was very homoerotic (glad to see that their bromance transcended realities). However, the myriad of entertaining information and fan-arts he got couldn’t make him forget that he had a 99% chance of knowing Spidey’s identity. Did that count as breaking their bro-code ? Fuck, this felt intrusive no matter what.

One hour, a sheet of paper filled with possibilities and countless internet searches later, Wade was on his way.
He had put those twenty something hours to good use. And that’s how, a day later, at half past nine in the evening, he knocked on the door of an apartment in Queens, which should belong to a certain “Peter Parker”. Or whatever.

It takes a minute before someone answers. They barely open the door, but Wade can make out a man in his mid twenties, with brown wavy hair and deep brown eyes. And when he speaks, his voice is not exactly the same but Wade knows.

“Hello, how can I- Oh. You must be Deadpool. Please come in.”

A dozen blocks away, Peter is still waiting. It’s half past nine. He’ll wait until eleven.

“Are you Peter Parker ?”
“Yeah.”
“Are you Spider-Man ? Fuck, I never thought I’d ask that.”
“Am not. But I’ve met the Peter you’re looking for. I guess we should maybe, uh, get inside and take a seat ?”

And so they sit. Wade on the couch, and Peter on a chair he dragged in from the kitchen. Wade admires the similarity with the Spidey he knows -the voice, the posture, the fidgeting- but also the differences : this Peter is less muscular, sounds a bit less tired, but seems like he is intimidated by him. His Peter has never been intimidated, even in the rocky start of their relationship. Wary yes, but not intimidated. And he had made a point to show that to Deadpool.

“I can, uh, lose the top of the suit and the katanas if they’re bothering you. But I only have a tank top underneath and it surely does not cover all the mess going on there.”
“I’m fine, don’t worry. You’re just, wow… huge. Like, almost an actual giant. I’m like, impressed.”
“ I think I like you over my Peter. All those years, all those times getting tied up together and not a single compliment about how huge I am. Damn. I know God made me this size for someone to appreciate it.”
“How do you- How does your suit winks ??”

This Peter seems to not be taken aback by the flirting. Another difference. It’s fun, really. But Wade likes how his struggles to find his words for a second after he makes a dirty joke.

“Oh this suit does way more than winking. And it’s super flattering. But not as much as your- my Spidey’s spandex.”

Once again, this Peter seems not to care that much. He still chuckles at his jokes though, which makes Wade’s heart flutter a bit. He wishes he could see his Peter’s real face, hear his voice and laugh with brown doe eyes to match them.
Deadpool knows he’s a sap. He’s known for years, really, yet he doesn't stop falling in love with Peter.

“You should go after him, Wade.”
“ Fuck yeah I should.” He stands up and turns to face Peter. “Thank you No-powers Pete. Will your apartment still be open for two homeless heroes after they get the super emotional and hetero reunion?”

Peter nods. “I wish I had a Wade. He’s lucky to have you.”

And if Wade quietly answered with “I’m sorry”, Peter doubts. He was already gone. He only understands five minutes later,as he types “Wade Winston Wilson, Canada” on his browser, and the only results that come up are movies, comics and an obituary.

Wade feels both light and heavy after his meeting with the Other Peter. He’s also nervous to see his after having learned his identity. Sorry Webs, he thinks. At least he didn't do it willingly.
It’s dark outside, but New York City never sleeps. People stare a lot, which is understandable, as he’s fully geared up, but no one gets in his way, thankfully. He has a partner to meet.

When the mercenary arrived on their rooftop, Peter was sleeping,back against the guardrail of the building. He’s in civilian clothes, but has his mask in hand. And now that Wade sees his friend, his Peter, he knows he's doomed. He has known for so long, but for a second, he really believes he might implode. Or explose. Or both, if that were possible. But nothing happens, apart from his heart missing a bit. It feels so weird seeing him "in person". So wrong, yet so right. After years of friendship between Spider-Man and Deadpool, Peter Parker and Wade Wilson finally meet. Peter moves a bit, and wakes up.

“Pool…Wade?! Is that you?”

The way he says Wade name, the way his voice still sounds a bit asleep does something to Wade’s stomach. Peter, his Peter, stands up quickly, visibly confused.

“ Is that really you- like- are, are you here for real with me and did you- oh my god my face you can see my face and fuck you probably know my identity anyway but Wade pleasesaysomething I’m dying here I can't believe you’re okay and-”
“ Can I kiss you right now ?”
Peter finally stops. When Wade takes a step further, Peter doesn’t get away. When Wade takes off his mask and grabs Peter face, squishing his cheeks, the younger man still doesn't protest.

“ God you’re so cute, Webs. Look at you. Honestly your Other You’s haircut is a bit cooler but I’m still in love with you.”

ter looks at him in awe .
“Your eyes are really blue. Wait, did you meet my other me ? Did you meet your other you? And wha- did you say you’re in love with me ?”

“ It’s a simple yes or no question, Webs. You’d think New York’s most intelligent super would know how to answer a simple question, but don't be fooled !! I might actually be the smarter one—” Peter shuts him up by pressing their lips together. The kiss is a bit awkward — they hit their foreheads together, and Wade takes a second too long to kiss back. In other words, it’s perfect. It’s very much like them, messy, unexpected, but they manage to make it work. Somehow, they always managed to make it work. After a couple seconds, or a lifetime(none of them know, really), they pull apart, breathless.

“ So what now ? Do you top or…
— Wade ! Not now.
— So later !
— Fuck you.
— Yeah yeah we’re getting there but when?”

Peter doesn't know if he should sigh or giggle. Therefore, he settles for a smile as he playfully hits Wade’s shoulder.

“We have to find the guy and get back to our universe, first. Then we can figure it out ? You and me, I mean.”

Wade has an unreadable expression on his face. It’s so disturbing, with the masks off. Peter can't help but stare at his blue eyes and his scarred lips.

“I’m sorry for knowing your identity, Webs.
— Call me by my name, Wade. You didn’t have a choice anyway. My Other Me also told me a bit too much about other supers. And I… wanted to tell you. Eventually. But I guess fate wanted to speed things up.
— I don’t know what to say, Petey Pie. (Wade goes to lean against the guardrail beside Peter, and slides alongside it, until he’s seated. Peter does the same).
— You don’t have to say anything, Pool. For now, we can crash at “my” place, and then try to get back home. What do you think ?
— I think you’re pretty.
— I,uh, wow.”

It’s funny how Peter gets ten times more flustered when the masks are off. In the past years, Wade didn’t refrain from making way more explicit compliments, that he would either dismiss or chuckle at. He’d always take a second to find his words after, but rarely passed an opportunity to respond with a quick witted answer. But now ? Even the simplest praise feels way more intense. Way more real, in the best way possible. Now, he had to face the merc’s fascinating blue eyes . Now his partner could see every time he blushed, bit his lips, pouted or rolled his eyes.

“You’re not disappointed ? Peter finally says. That Spider-Man is just some guy?
— I honestly thought you were rocking a mustache under the mask but I guess you can’t have your cake and eat it too.
— Hey ! You’re one to talk, especially about facial hair.
— I have cancer ! While you, Peter P. Parker, have no excuse.
— It’s Peter B., Mr Wade Winston Wilson. Well, sorry I have an imperfect alliteration and no mustache.”

He lets his head fall on Wade’s shoulder. He searches for his hand, and squeezes it when he finds it. Wade squeezes back. They stay like that, in this comfortable silence for maybe ten minutes, until they finally decide on going back to the Other Peter’s house.
The apartment is quiet when they arrive, and Other Peter is sound asleep. Quietly as they can, they settle on the sofa, and fall asleep in each other’s arms. Finally, they had found each other.

_______

When Peter woke up, strangely enough, the first thing he thought about was his students and colleagues. Was he reported missing ? Would he be fired ? Or did no one care in the slightest. Being Peter Parker was exhausting, but being Spider-Man didn’t pay the bills.
Wade wasn’t lying next to him anymore. When he realized, Peter sat up and looked around the living room. Thankfully, the other man was sitting at the table, seemingly busy with something.

It's weird. This situation is weird. It's so casual, so domestic. There's someone else in what is almost his apartment, but Peter isn't panicked. At this point he has accepted that Wade will be involved in all part of his life . Every new development in their relationship comes naturally and to be honest, Peter isn't scared anymore. He doesn't care if Wade knows everything about him. He might even want it. Need it.

“Hi Wade.
— Hello, baby,” he says, without looking up. “I’ve been busy while you got your beauty sleep. And your Peter Bro is already off to work.”

Peter looks at his watch as he goes over the table to see what Wade is busy with. It’s ten AM. He hasn’t slept that late for a long time. He looks over the mercenary’s shoulder: on the table, there are blueprints of what seems to be a weapon, along with sheets of paper covered in scribbles. The brunette realizes it’s the first time he sees the other man’s handwriting. And only after, it registers in his mind what all of this is :

”Did you- ?!” he says, not yet willing to believe it.
— Find our guy and steal his stuff ? You bet I did, sweetums. And before you ask, I did not kill him. Had to get creative in other ways.
— Should I be worried ? Should I even ask ? — I won’t tell you how, but I might have gotten him arrested.”

And Peter genuinely doesn’t know what else to do except laugh. A genuine laugh, one that finally makes Wade look up at him to stare with those hypnotizing blue eyes of his . As expected from Wade, ever so unpredictable, full of surprises. Oddly enough, Peter liked that. Wade was the only one who managed to surprise him in good ways.

“ So we’re good to go, then ?”
— I should figure out how to reconfigure the gun in a way that sends us back to our universe. I thought your Peter Bro should be the one to send us, so we leave the gun and blueprints for him to destroy after. People here wouldn't even have the technology to recreate that, but you know, just in case.
—You’re oddly careful, Wade, Peter giggles. I think I have rubbed off on you.
— You forget I'm a merc, Wade says, standing up to press a kiss of Peter’s cheek. If I wasn't a bit careful, I'd be dead. Before my Halloween themed chemotherapy, I mean.”

They spend the day reading comics and watching movies about themselves, playing video games while cuddled on the Other Peter's couch. Peter can't wait to come back home and do this at his actual place. Or Wade’s. Or both. But now that the masks are off, they can spend even more time with each other. Could they kiss again ? Peter figured this would be part of their “feelings talk” they decided to have when they’d get home.

______

Other Peter came back at six in the afternoon. The three of them had a drink, discussed some more things about their respective universe, and then Wade explained what Other Peter would have to do to send them back.

“ It’s imperative that you destroy everything, once we’ve gone,...Peter.” It’s weird for Peter to call out his own name. To himself, nonetheless.
“ How will I be sure you and Wade made it back home okay ?
“ You won't. But it should be okay. I guess my spidey-sense will make me jump if something’s off.
“ What if it doesn't?”

Peter shrugs. He’s not really worried. He trusts Wade, and even suspect that his partner has the whole gun’s plans memorized.

“We’ll figure it out. We always do, somehow. You’ve read the comics.”

Other Peter chuckles. Then, he seems to remember something, excusing himself to go look for something. He comes back with a binder full of comics.

“ For you both. If you want to use yourself to escape really.”

Peter rushes to hug his Other Self, quickly followed by Wade. He’s glad he found himself in this universe. He’s glad he’s a good man even when he’s not Spider-man. He's glad he’s found Wade across the multiverse. Peter is happy.

“ Time to go home now.”