It's Deadpool bitches!

Still hungry, the man reached out to grab another taste bud explosion deliciousness (that was also bad for his health). But frowned when he was a little far from the couch. He could grab the ones that fell to the floor…but that would be a little gross. He was about to ask for assistance, but that stubborn streak showed up as he tried to maneuver the wheelchair with one hand. Not as easy as he thought it would be. 

While concentrating, he did not see Wade bounding over to James, but he did blink in surprise at the arms being wrapped around him, chin on his shoulder and the kiss planted on his cheek. Ok..Don’t cry. Just don’t cry. Nope. No tears here. Instead a smile appeared as he chuckled. “Alright wubby…Wibby…Whatever that fusion word is for husband and wife, I love you too and if you get me something illegally, don’t get caught or I’ll be hearing about it” While he was sure no one else really knew that he knows Wade, other than one or two people. Well three since Perez saw him. James did not want to have to deal with the paperwork or getting yelled at whenever he was back to work. Even then, he was sure Wade was smart enough to know to not get caught. 

“How about for now, we finish the food you brought, watch some Golden girls and just veg out on the couch. Well, I’ll veg out here on the chair and you can have the couch” James needed to get used to the wheelchair, even though his ass was getting sore from sitting down all the time now. Just a little while longer and he will be back on his feet. 

“But i have a question for you though…Will you still stick around after I get the new arm and leg?” Might as well ask. Not that he would be lonely if Wade left, but just coming home to someone for once was a nice thought. 

Wade wheeled James a little closer to the couch so he could reach the remaining tacos. Wade then flopped back onto the couch itself and helped himself to another taco. He was about to shove the whole thing into his mouth but he stopped with the taco about halfway in when James asked him that question.

Wade lowered the taco away from his gob and looked over at his hubby/room mate with one of his eyebrows raised, as if trying to tell James to not be so silly.

“The only reasons to make me move out is a) you actually kick me out and even then I probably won’t pay too much attention to that, b) I get arrested but when I get out, I’ll be back just like a Terminator, c) I die and since that has yet to happen I doubt that will stick, or d)-” Wade put his finger to his lips as he tried to think of another reason “-you diss Bea Arthur and don’t apologise for it.”

Wade looked over at James and decided to be semi-serious for a moment. “Listen, Hubby, you are stuck with me. You’re my friend and I don’t abandon friends just because they suddenly sprout extra limbs. I’m a dick who is a complete idiot almost 100% of the time, but I don’t abandon my friends. Especially not ones that I call Hubby. You get me?”

“You’re not in your suit. I’m assuming you know of HOPE then.” She murmured, blunt as ever. She had seen the flyers and heard the speech more and more often than she would like to. It sounded like a ton of propaganda and, truly, it was making Natasha uncomfortable. She had seen too many wars, too many people killed for reasons such as this. She did not wish for this to turn into an all out mutant vs human war. And, yet, she could not help but feel like that was where it was headed. HOPE would incite hatred and that would only fuel more hatred. It would all end terribly.  

“Humans Only, Protect Earth.” She scoffed quietly, tossing flame red curls from her eyes as she glared out at everyone passing. She wondered if they knew that their world was balancing on a knife edge. Too much push to one side and everything would come tumbling down around them. Everything they had worked for.

“You don’t like what I’m wearing?” Wade asked in a mock innocent tone. He pulled at his hooded sweatshirt on the chest, causing the material to form a peak. He patted it back down and shrugged. “And here I was thinking you might like the change in my look. You saying I should go back to my traditional red and black combo?”

He stopped rambling long enough to get a good look at the Black Widow. He wasn’t sure what he was seeing but it wasn’t the usual Romanoff he was used to. She seemed too tired, too exhausted. He ignored the instinct to ask if she needed a vacation. He was a dummy but not that much of a dummy!

“Who hasn’t heard of HOPE?” He asked rhetorically, his tone for once becoming serious and quiet. It wasn’t going to last but even Wade couldn’t make a joke out of the fanatical organisation. “One threat to the world is dealt with and another swiftly replaces it. It’s never ending, which is lucky for me because that means there’s always someone will to pay someone like me to kill another someone.” He paused. “Although I know better than to work for HOPE.” He definitely felt that last statement was required.

How kind of him…Opting to take the couch because James might want his own space. He grinned. “And here I thought we were getting somewhere. Your choice really. You can hop on over to the bed if you need to cuddle in the night” He just didn’t care right now, but he did need the space. And was thankful that Wade was perceptive to pick up on that…If he did. He wasn’t sure. There was a lot to process right now and it was slow. Like his mind was not registering everything. Bits and pieces, connecting the dots. It was going to take some time. Dammit…He just wanted to move on. Forget about the past and live in the present. 

Arching a brow, James stared at his friend sitting across from him. “I still think you get more game than I do” Some people needed to get the sticks out of their asses if they were going to go by appearances than personality/. He’s recalled a few girls that wanted nothing to do with him because he was not the Adonis they were looking for. One day, they will get a slap in the face and see that the guys that looked like that were nothing more than fakes. Well…Most were. Some were the actual good guys that are overshadowed.  

He grinned back at Wade and even chuckled a bit. “It will be fun, I haven’t had a roomie in a long time and you sound like a pet that I’m taking in. Spread out as much as you want. Not like I got much going on here anyway” Wonder what he will think of the new parts that Tony is building for him…that will be interesting. “One thing for sure…It is damn good to be eating real food over hospital stuff..Almost broke out of there on my own just for a burger” 

However right now, Wade was under the impression James needed a friend. Maybe something more than a friend but a friend was a good place to start. He may need space right now but that wasn’t always going to be the case.

As Wade considered this, he decided to fix the door. It seemed like the logical thing to do to stop himself from insulting or upsetting his new room mate. He lifted up the door and placed it back on its hinges. Apart from the muddy footprint in the middle of it, it wasn’t too damaged. It would need to be replaced eventually but for now, putting it back and getting the hinges fixed will do.

Wade’s hands were scrambling around in his many, many pockets for a screwdriver and screws (surely he had those in there somewhere?!) when James mentioned something about not having much going on here. There was what Wade thought was sadness tainting his words. James wasn’t being his usual upbeat, sarcastic self. His injuries and losses were weighing on him. This was a good time for cuddle, wasn’t it? Was it?

Fuck it!

Wade bounded over to James and wrapped his arms around the cop from behind. He rested his chin on James’s shoulder and planted a kiss on James’s cheek. “You can have all the real food you want, buddy. Anything you want and I’ll get it for you. I can’t promise I’ll do everything legally but you’ll want for nothing.”

The fight against the Blood Star had been hard for her. A long, painful slog and, even now, Natasha knew she still was not recovered. She still awoke each morning with sweat dripping from her face and trembling hands. She resided alone, in a tiny safe house. Clint knew where she was. He knew she wouldn’t leave New York, not now, but she had to be alone. Which was probably why she had not seen him yet. 

It was late when she chose to venture out. The night had fallen like a blanket over the city, a velvet darkness trying its damned hardest to stifle the lights of the city. But New York defied nature, rejected the darkness. Natasha walked through the city, allowing the light to touch her as she found her way to a quiet little store, buying herself a cup of cheap, nasty coffee. 

It was a little too bitter, a little too strong, for her tastes but it would do. She drained it within a few minutes and walked through into Central Park. Quietly, she lowered herself onto a bench and sat. Just watching. The city that never slept. She watched the way life seemed to pass her by and sighed. She was thankful to even be able to say that. 

They had come close to defeat but Natasha was safe in the knowledge that they had won. She let green eyes flicker shut, only opening them when she felt someone sit beside her. 

Anyway here Wade was, in Central Park, and for once not in his usual uniform. Ever since the crazies of HOPE that made themselves known to the wider world, Wade had decided to go incognito (again at least until he got bored). Instead of the red and black ensemble with all too many weapons strapped to his body, he was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with the hood up over a baseball cap, jeans and work boots. His cap was pulled down low over his face to hide his scars. So far, no one had noticed him. He wasn’t sure if he liked that too much. He actually missed being the centre of attention.

He spotted Natasha straight away. It was hard to miss her with her red hair and ‘I-could-kill-you-with-my-pinky-and-my-eyes-shut’ attitude. While he hadn’t had much to do with her, he knew enough about the Black Widow to know something wasn’t quite right. He could’ve (should’ve?!) left her alone with her thoughts but this was Deadpool we’re talking about here.

“I don’t know. Can you help? Maybe I’m helpless; or so some people try to tell me. Or was it hopeless? Either way, I’m not sure you can help, but thanks for offering,” he said a little too quickly once he was sat down beside her.

The detective’s mind was either cluttered with thoughts or empty. As if he was trying to forget or stay busy in order to forget. He was lucky he figured. Not everyone came out the same after this battle. At least he was alive…Others were not as lucky or some may have not been able to keep their sanity. But what did he know? Nothing. Just a ordinary man with nothing special going on. 

Eyes went to the food that had fallen onto the floor before switching to the one that Wade was passing on to him. Good thing he wasn’t the clean freak type or that would have rubbed him the wrong way. Like sandpaper to the ass. Out of habit, the man reached out with his right, but realized that it was going to be a bit of a dilemma. “Really can’t wait till Stark is done with the replacement parts” A chuckle. Food in his remaining hand, he tucked in only to choke on the first bite and cough after the announcement. Moving in? 

Still coughing after spiting the piece out, James stared at Wade with a dumbfounded expression. This was…unexpected. “I have a feeling that arguing with you will only end up with packed bags in my apartment.” Might as well just deal with it. He liked Wade. “Ok…You can move in, hope you don’t mind the couch or if you prefer cuddling, then that’s ok” James never understood why men disliked sharing beds. Nothing was wrong with that as long as no unwanted business started. But some ground rules will have to be placed. 

“Two things…Door needs to be fixed and if any friends are brought in…Not on the bed. Deal?” With that said, he held up the Mexican food the katana wielder had handed to him as a toast. Just accepted his fate in gaining a new roomie. Should be fun. 

“I like the sound of cuddling,” Wade mused for a moment before dropping back onto sofa. He picked through what was left of the tacos that hadn’t spilled onto the floor and munched on a half empty shell. Crumbs fell onto his chest and he brushed them off. “But I get the feeling you might want your own space, so I’ll take the sofa. I’ve slept on worse.”

Wade took a moment to look around the bachelor pad and he grinned. He certainly had slept in worse places than this. Actually this place was like luxury compared with where he was staying at the moment. There were no drafts, the sofa was comfy and soft, there was no leaky ceilings and once the door had been fixed, there was less chance of vagrants coming in and trying to have their way with him (or whatever it was that vagrant had tried last night).

Wade gestured towards his half-masked face, his scarred mess of his chin and jawline showing. “Does it look like I get to bring ‘friends’ home often? I keep trying but no one goes for it. I try to be friendly and flirty but alas, no dice.” He squinted over at the door, the one he had pretty much destroyed when he entered the apartment and shrugged. “And the door isn’t going to be problem. It won’t take me long to move in either. I only have a few things and they won’t take up much room.” He grinned at Dwyer. “This is going to be so much fun!”

The elevator doors slid open with a screech on the correct floor. Perez still chatting away, trying to get James’ mind off of the current situation. Everyone knew how it was going to eat the detective from the inside out. Mostly because of the sudden change in routine. Getting used to being without an arm and leg. Only until Stark was done with new replacements. Then he had to get used to them. So much change in a short amount of time. 

“What the….” James glanced up to look at Perez, wondering what caused the officer to stop and stare ahead of him. Following the gaze, he saw why. The door to his apartment had been kicked open. But he also recognized familiar katanas and attire of the culprit from the couch. As his home was pretty much like a box with a short hallway and two additional smaller boxes for the bedroom and bathroom. 

Left hand went up to stay Perez from going in with his gun. “Don’t worry, I know the guy. He’s harmless” Well, harmless when not waving weapons around or using his guns. Just fighting in general. James knows that Wade was dangerous, but right now…There should be no reason to have a fight in his home. Perez opened his mouth to suggest otherwise, but sighed and proceeded to wheel James in. The smell of tacos reached him and instantly his stomach growled in hunger. Too long he had gone without eating real food. Grinning as he was nagivated through the living room until he was in front of Wade, James lifted his left hand in greeting. 

“Been a while Wade. How’s it going?” 

Perez on the other hand, decided to leave. Shutting the door behind him…well, as best he could since it was kicked open. 

“Jesus fucking Christ!” Wade exclaimed loudly, immediately jumping to his feet and dropping Mexican food all over the floor. He bounded over to Dwyer, ignoring the dude who had rolled his friend in as he made his quick exit. Wade stood before Dwyer for a beat before crouching down so they were eye to eye. “You’re half the man you used to be.”

Wade resisted the urge to poke at where James’s arm and leg used to be. Even Wade knew that was a line that shouldn’t be crossed. Instead he straightened up and reached for some of the food that hadn’t landed on the floor. He passed it to James. “You should eat, keep your strength up, at least until your limbs gro-”

He stopped himself talking, which was not an easy feat. Dwyer’s limbs weren’t going to grow back. Technology had come a long way and prosthetics were a lot easier to come by now, but Dwyer was now an amputee. That right there wasn’t something easy to deal with. Wade decided he should do the right thing.

“I’m moving in.” He said those three words with such determination and confidence that it would be difficult to argue with him. He had already made up his mind. “I’m moving in and I’m helping you.”

Very few people who are not important interest Joker. Batman and the brats have been his top persons of interest. But a bunch of dead little birdies have been whispering about a masked mercenary. Someone who will get the job done. His curiosity changed into a strong need to have this masked mercenary wrapped around his pinky finger. Maybe it would bring about a change in moral with the gang. As they have been rather useless. So hard to get decent work around Gotham these days. Even if he decided to work alongside one of the other villains that wanted Gotham for themselves or for some other asinine reason. 

Joker on the other hand had grandiose plans. Everything that he had done and will do is a small step to that plan. The very plan to continue to push Batsy and make Gotham his. Once Gotham was his and Batman was out of the way, the prince of crime can have all the fun he wanted until he got bored or one of the other little heroes decided to step in. Maybe he should break the other batlings. Like he did with birdbrain number 2. He still had that crowbar somewhere in his hideout. Although he couldn’t remember where or if it was placed with the other weapons that his grunts used. Ah well. No use worrying about it. As that memory still stayed with him and it was glorious. 

But he was digressing. It was time to meet this famous gun for hire. Straightening his purple suit jacket, the clown faced man entered the building where the last pair of eyes saw this masked man. Ascending the stairs, Joker couldn’t help but hum a tune he heard from one of the inmates back at the asylum. It was catchy as it was annoying. Reaching the correct floor, Joker wandered down the empty hallway. Still humming, the green haired man stopped and leaned on the door frame. Interesting…Left wide open. 

“Knock knock, anyone home?” 

@poolxfdead

How and why Wade was in Gotham wasn’t important. He was there for a job, the job was done, why not stick around for another day or so and see the sights? Gotham’s reputation was drowning in darkness and Wade’s interest had been piqued. Considering Wade spent the majority of his time in cities where the heroes outnumbers the villains, Gotham was an interesting change in dynamic.

He had plenty of money now he had collected on his job but that didn’t mean he was going to upgrade his Gotham digs. He actually liked his abandoned apartment that had definitely seen better days. It suited him, reflected him quite nicely. Plus there was a Taco Bell on the same block so that cemented the choice of digs for him. He didn’t try to hide the fact he was staying there either. Since there were so many evil doers in this city, it was likely he might be able to pick up a couple more jobs here before heading back to the Big Apple.

He didn’t have to wait long for another enquirer. Wade turned to face his visitor, burrito in one hand, a katana in the other. He took a bite out of the burrito as he swung the katana through the air around him. He regarded the man in purple with a sceptical look. The dude looked as if he had walked straight off the pages of a comic book (which in a way he had but Wade wasn’t in the mood to explain the whole ‘we’re all comic book characters being written about in an online writing group’ thing right now).

Barbara was back! That was the only thought zinging through Steve’s head that morning as he tended to the small potted plants he kept in the lab. A friend, his only friend, Barbara, there in the Shatterdome. It barely felt real, and the constant remembrance of the fact quirked his mouth into a little pleased grin every time. It got him more odd looks from the cadets and staff than his usual dour countenance did. It made him even more boyish than usual, like a teenager had accidentally been allowed on base and no-one was quite sure what do about it.

He found himself cross-legged on the floor, misting the leaves of a spider plant, surrounded by the dusty discarded kaiju samples that previous teams inhabiting the lab had found no use for. Surrounded by the unblinking eyes and floating blobs of flesh, Steve let himself smile, and couldn’t even shake it when Wade came by and destroyed the peaceful atmosphere in his customary fashion. His eyebrow might have twitched at the ‘Stevie’ nickname but his only response was to lean out from under the shelter of the table and spray Wade’s leg with the water bottle, soaking him below the knee.

“I forgot no such thing. Now give me a fucking donut.”

For added effect, Steve simply beamed up at his colleague, all sweetness and light.

Too many people often underestimated lil’ Stevie. Because of his size and build, they assumed that he was weak and if anyone dared to make that assumption in front of Wade, he would double over while laughing so hard, he would start wheezing. 

So he wasn’t all that surprised that finally his lab partner revealed himself by spraying Wade’s leg and gave him the sweetest smile that would break a million girls and guys’ hearts.

“Say please,” Wade retorted back at Steve, giving him a smile that wasn’t quite as sweet and as light because frankly Wade wasn’t very sweet to start with and he was too far into the dark side to be a part of the light ever again. Without waiting for Steve to actually say please, Wade passed him a donut because that’s what good partners should do. Share the donuts, share the science!

Marshal Danvers gave Wade a goddamned skeptical look as she joined him in the elevator. Wade was a bright guy, but sometimes, she wondered if the kaiju released something that really did a number on the scientists’ brains. The longer they spent with their remains, the goddamn stranger they got. She liked him – as much as she liked most people which, really, only said that she didn’t have a daily desire to beat him over the head with her cane – but right now, she was professionally concerned.

“Not sure if I like seeing you turn into Smeagol over something, Wilson. And it may be your big time and your big shot – but it’s my Shatterdome. So no. I don’t know what’s in the box, but you know what I do know? You’re going to explain it to me. You’re going to use human words that I can understand and, when we get to the lab, you’re going to show me, to the best of your ability, just why the hell this is relevant and worth bringing in.” She hadn’t intended to spend her time with him doing this, had, in fact, very much intended to go to bed and get some damn sleep, but an excited scientist was either a terrible or a wonderful thing.

It was her duty to find out which and, if necessary, break his skull – but only if necessary. Carol watched Wade steadily, her smile warm with amusement but her gaze warned him to go ahead and push her today if he felt like regretting his life a little more.

A lot of people to shrink away from Marshal Danvers. When she wanted to be, she could be downright frightening. Wade had tried to inform her a few times in the past that her scary attitude was a turn-on for him. She didn’t shy away from using her fists to put Wade back in his place. Worth it, totally, 100% worth it.

If Wade had been anyone else, he would have quietened down and maybe even apologised for his over-excitement about his shipment. Instead Wade grinned at Marshal Danvers and made no attempt to hide any one of his emotions. He could see the dangerous warning in her eyes but for the moment, he chose to ignore it. He had survived each one of her beat downs so far; bring it on.

“Inside my box, my dearest Marshal, is the key to understanding how kaijus work, how they think, how they act. I finally have a piece of kaiju brain in here and if it’s a good piece of brain, I should be able to pick it apart until I find the answers I’m looking for.”

He stroked the box again and was only distracted from that act when the elevator pinged and the doors slid open, revealing the entrance to the lab. Wade gave an excited woop and wheeled his shipment out towards his work area. He didn’t wait for the Marshal, she was going to follow him in her own time. 

Hearing Felicity’s name called had been hell. She was genuinely kind and sweet. There was fire in her, but Felicity wasn’t a violent person. She was agood person, really truly good, and she didn’t deserve it. Not that anyone really did. Every year, they were just rounded up and sent off to be slaughtered and everyone in District Twelve, probably in all of the districts, knew it. They were a joke – and one Matt didn’t care to laugh about. He hadn’t even dressed up for the Reaping. It would probably get the Peacekeepers to give him trouble at some point in the next few weeks, but he didn’t care. He was there, in his grubby black clothes, covered in coal dust, arms folded, and wishing he could use his skills to take down everyone here who was letting Felicity walk up to that stage. Matt was so tense, so angry, that he almost didn’t hear when they called the name of the male tribute –

She met her mentor’s gaze without hesitation. Bravery, despite the tear tracks upon her pale face. “Why do they make us sit here? Pretend it’s some honour to die in there?”

“I don’t expect to survive. I don’t expect to go home. I don’t have much to go home to. But I want to know why they make kids do this. I’m 18, I’m an adult, but some of the kids that are taken are 12. 12 years old. They have whole lives ahead of them.”

“Why do we treat it like a festival to be celebrated? When it’s really just pure cruelty.”

He had been formulating a plan but as yet, he hadn’t made any progress on it. He didn’t want to involve the tributes because they already had enough to go through but seeing how fired up Matt and Felicity were, Wade began to change his mind. 

As his tributes held hands and tried to keep a hold of their nerve, Wade rose to his feet and walked over to the small camera that was on the wall. The Capitol were watching everything but they couldn’t watch this if Wade was going to do everything he could to help these kids survive. He smashed the camera and turned back to Matt and Felicity.

“I have about two minutes to explain something to you both before the Capitol croonies come bursting in here. So listen up.

“This year, we’re going to change the rules. I’m not saying it’s going to work because the odds are definitely not in our favour but fuck it. We have to try. I want you both to live through this. I’m done with my tributes being slaughtered for a worthless cause.

“When we get to the Capitol, instead of competing against your other tributes, work with them. Pass the word out that killing each other is overrated. Working together is the new trend. This year the tributes aren’t going to fight to the death, they’re gonna fight the arena and sick game making bastards.”

There was a knock on the door and the muffled sounds of the Capitol croonies trying to gain entry to where Wade was with the tributes. Wade held the door shut for a moment more. “That fire you got burning inside of you now? Use it to burn the Capitol to the ground. Don’t burn yourselves like I did, y’hear?”

Wade opened the door with a flourish and laughed as one of the Capitol guards fell through. “Sorry, my hand slipped and you lost a camera. How silly of me.”

“Yeah. Sure. I’m ready. Ready to quit playing this bullshit game,” Oliver growled, his voice going even quieter. With Barry in here, there wasn’t a lot that the Capitol could hold over Oliver anymore. His parents had passed, his sister had simply gone missing – Barry was it. Barry was the one they could threaten, the one they could use to get compliance out of Oliver time and time again, but now Fate was laughing a good one at this. 

Oliver folded his arms and leaned back in his chair, willing himself to be still, not to just get up and start killing again, here and now. He was known for having made an incredibly effective use of a bow, known for prowess with knives, but he didn’t need either of them. He was the weapon, now more than ever – 

And so was Wade, he thought. They were both resourceful. They were ruthless. They could make any play to get out alive,in the end – so what the hell were they doing now? 

“I don’t have anything stopping me this year,” Oliver said, to be sure Wade took his meaning. “Nothing left to lose. 

“What about you?”

Wade barked out a laugh that was completely absent of humour or mirth. Nothing left to lose was about right. Wade didn’t have anything that the Capitol could use against him. He had no family, no friends, no connections that the Capitol could use to blackmail him into doing what they wanted. He learned a long time ago that it was easier to be alone and let the mania keep him company rather than give the creeps in the Capitol an advantage over him. He really did have nothing to lose.

The only thing the Capitol could make him do was training the poor bastards who got reaped. They couldn’t sell his body because no one wanted to have sex with a man who was scarred beyond recognition. They couldn’t have him giving speeches because he couldn’t be trusted to stick to the script. He was the only victor of District 12 and Wade’s instinct to stay alive meant he wanted to give those tributes a fighting chance once they got dumped in the arena.

Those kids had something to lose and every time one of them died, it weighed heavily on Wade’s soul.

“I just want this bullshit to be over, man,” he said with a sigh. “Making those kids do what they have to do in the arena is sick. Why are we the only ones who see that? Why don’t we make a pact between all of us that this year, we change the rules? Like the kids refuse to kill each other or something, have work together to survive, show those game making fucks that they ain’t in control any more.”

Hearing Felicity’s name called had been hell. She was genuinely kind and sweet. There was fire in her, but Felicity wasn’t a violent person. She was a good person, really truly good, and she didn’t deserve it. Not that anyone really did. Every year, they were just rounded up and sent off to be slaughtered and everyone in District Twelve, probably in all of the districts, knew it. They were a joke – and one Matt didn’t care to laugh about. He hadn’t even dressed up for the Reaping. It would probably get the Peacekeepers to give him trouble at some point in the next few weeks, but he didn’t care. He was there, in his grubby black clothes, covered in coal dust, arms folded, and wishing he could use his skills to take down everyone here who was letting Felicity walk up to that stage. Matt was so tense, so angry, that he almost didn’t hear when they called the name of the male tribute –

His name. 

The world fell silent inside him. He could feel as nearly every pair of eyes turned to him. He didn’t have to see their gazes to know. They were like tiny hands, pushing on his skin, tearing to tear it, trying to see inside. Everyone was looking and almost nobody was saying it. Almost. A few whispered but he’s blind, and a few others shushed them. 

Matt’s arms fell to his sides and he felt his ability to care fall away with it. Numb, hollow, sickened, he thought distantly how he was probably a good choice for this. He didn’t have family anymore. He lived alone, with no one to support, and while he would be missed in the mine (no one could detect the hazards like Matt could), he wouldn’t be destroying anyone’s life by basically walking out. It was reasonable. Sure. He was a good choice –

And it was a joke.

Matt threw his head back and started laughing, quietly and angrily, before he walked up to join Felicity on the stage. He laughed until he was standing next to her, until he could feel the heat of her skin from several feet away, and then he went silent.

No.

It wasn’t funny. Not anymore. Because one day soon, that heat would go cold. 

No. 

That moment, he decided. Felicity would live as long as she could. He’d protect her by whatever means necessary – whatever it took. They’d paired a devil with an angel, but were sending them both to Hell. He’d finally be where he belonged, in his element, and no matter how deep the horror of it all ran, no matter how angry or frightened he was, he would do what he could for her. 

-

-

Matt didn’t say a word until the two of them were on the train with Wade. Once there, Matt quietly came and sat down with them. He reached over and took Felicity’s hand, without a word, and said softly: 

“I’m sorry.”

“Felicity Smoak!”

Every pair of eyes turned to her. Turned to the sweet little merchant girl. Blazing locks of golden hair amid a sea of dark haired miners. They watched as she took her first step. They waited to see if she would fall before she made it to the stage. Blue eyes swam with tears but she refused to let them fall. Not now. She wouldn’t cry now, in front of them all.

She stood, stock still upon the stage and staring out, avoiding the gaze of her mother and trying not to listen to the frantic sobs pulling from the woman’s throat. No, crying would not help her now. She could cry over her own fate later. Right now, she just had to wait. And the male tribute’s name was almost worse. Matt Murdock. She knew him vaguely - the blind one. Tales of how good he was in the mines circulated the district regularly. But still…it wasn’t fair.

It had never been fair. 

And so as they stood side by side on that stage - merchant and miner, light and dark - Felicity tried to find the confidence to say something to him. She found the words got stuck in her throat and she was quite unable to force them out.

The sobs formed a barrier in her throat that simply wouldn’t allow it. 

Wouldn’t allow her to speak. 

Wouldn’t allow her to reassure him. 

But really, how could she reassure anyone when her heart pounded with the fear of her own impending death? What could she do? 

- - 

The train ride was quiet. She stared out of the window and gave herself ten minutes to cry. She did so silently, the tears leaking from her eyes as she began to prepare herself for death. Slender fingers laced their way through Matt’s calloused ones without hesitation.

“I’m sorry too.”

It helped that no one else wanted to see his face, considering how fucked up it was. Burn scars stretched over almost every visible part of his skin, his trophy of what he did to win his games. 

So when this year’s tributes were called. Wade was nowhere to be seen. When Matt and Felicity said goodbye to their loved ones, they would not see their mentor. Even when they boarded the train that was to take them to the Capitol, Wade did not greet them. These kids needed space at first before being bombarded endlessly with what the Capitol demanded and expected from them. Let them have their peace before the chaos began.

Before he introduced himself to the latest tributes, Wade familiarised himself with information about the pair of them. What he read made him groan. it was like fate never wanted District 12 to win. A blind kid and a former rich kid. Both were 18, the oldest age a tribute could be and both probably had been hoping that they would escape this fate. It wasn’t going to easy on them. Wade tried to remind himself of how scared he had been when he had been in their positions but all he had was bitterness and burned skin.

When the train had pulled out of District 12, he went to go finally meet his tributes. He found them in one of the common areas of the train, both sat holding hands. The sight made Wade’s heart jump up into his throat. One or both (which was more likely) was going to be dead soon and yet there they were, holding on to one another for support. Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck.

“Hi,” Wade said cheerfully. “You probably know me as Deadpool since that’s what the Captiol likes to call me, but you can call me Wade. I’m your mentor.” He took a seat opposite the two tributes before taking off the mask he usually wore to cover the fucked up mess that was his face. He discarded the mask and looked at the pair of them. “It’s my job to keep you alive as long as possible, even if it means setting fire to the arena and to yourself like I did. What you’re about to go through ain’t easy and it’s fucked up and it makes me sick but apparently we don’t have a choice. I ain’t the easiest person to get along with but that’s because I left my sanity in the arena. I’m sorry you’ve been dealt this hand. I’m sorry you’re stuck with me as your mentor. Fuck it, I’m just sorry.” Wade sighed, shrugged his shoulders and slapped his hands on his thighs. “So, any questions?”