Insane in the Brain

Chapter 9

Despite the tell tale shimmer that ran along my inner wrist, clear evidence of the serum that resided in my veins, I couldn't help but hiss as the needle tore through my skin for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"Just one more" Nat's soothing I'm sewing you back together so please stop moving voice issued from behind me, I felt her breath graze my shoulder, sending shivers to the crown of my skull.

The slight tug at the skin by my shoulder signaled the final stitch. I shrugged slightly, getting a feel for the stitches running along my shoulder blade.

"You know I quite literally regrow right?" I teased, turning slightly to catch her smirk in my periphery.

"I know, but... it can't hurt." A tone resided in her voice that I hadn't heard there before, a sort of nervous sincerity.

"I'm fucking with you" I smirked, turning back around to straighten up and push my right arm back through it's sleeve, gingerly covering the fresh sutures. "Can you zip me?"

Nat considered me for a second, only jumping to action when I began to turn slightly, wondering what was taking so long. I felt her nimble yet surprisingly strong hands at the middle of my back, fiddling around for a moment before the sound of the metal zipper meshing together accompanied our slow breaths in the silence. After tilting my head slightly to avoid my hair getting caught, I turned to grab my katana harness from the chair opposite the bed. 

"See ya!" I said with exaggerated enthusiasm, buckling the harness across my sternum, smiling as I hear Nat scoff behind me.

As I clomped down the stairs I spotted Wade waiting for me my the windows, I quickly lightened my footsteps as to keep his eyes blissfully fixed on the skyline. The poor thing barely even had time to jump before my dagger was through his thigh.

"HOLY SHIT FUCK DICK BISCUITS" I let out a hearty laugh as he proceeded to hop around with a look of pure shock on his face. Unfortunately he was successful in his trickery however and I felt his blade enter my shoulder precisely where Natasha had so meticulously put me back together. My cry of pain quickly dissolved into laughter as we both clutched our gaping wounds. 

Gasping for breath I caught two figures out of the corner of my eye, Thor, looking fondly at the clear display of familial love, and just behind him, Tony, clearly horrified at the acts of violent assault he just witnessed. Thor merely chuckled and turned to brew some tea, while Tony forced composure and proceeded with his inquiry.

"Where are you too going today?" He asked, sharply, eyeing the blood dripping onto his sparkling tiles warily. 

"Just out" I replied, more focused on the strangely uncharacteristic care he was displaying about his granite flooring than coming up with witty remark. "I mean... your mom's house" I blurted, a feeble attempt to save face.

Wade very slowly leaned over, whispering, "Good save"

Before I could even roll my eyes however, Tony had interjected. "Where are you going?" He asked again, a strangely dark tone creeping into his voice, startling me. I could feel Wade tense slightly beside me, the anxiety that stretched between us only worsened when a calm yet booming voice filled the room. 

"Let them go Stark, it doesn't matter." Thor was clearly not here for this new, controlling, Tony. I could see the two make eye contact, but before Tony could return, Thor pointedly sipped the light chamomile he had cupped in his massive hands, clearly serving as a warning. I suppose Tony decided to drop it as he simply strutted out of the room, muttering something to JARVIS that quickly initiated a click from the door, allowing it to open slightly.

Wade and I eventually settled on our favorite bridge, unable to eat our churros before finding a spot. We just sat there, dangling our feet over the oncoming traffic, watching the sun drop below the shimmering windows of New York, the occasional crunch of cinnamon sugar breaking the silence. 

"Remember that time you cut off your hand and then you had a stupid little baby arm for like three days? You should do it again it was funny" I giggled mundanely, gazing my unfocused eyes out onto the highway. 

"Does my pain amuse you?" Wade gasped dramatically in response, clutching is hands to his chest and giving me doe eyes.

I turned slowly, and glanced down at the large blood stain where my knife had met his thigh hours earlier. He followed my eye-line and pulled away from me, "No! Stay away!" He squealed in a high, childish voice, prompting a cackle from me.

Still having trouble focusing my eyes, I shook my head slightly and stood up. After a lengthy and incredibly satisfying yawn, I hooked my foot around the railing and leaned forward, off the edge. I swung around, keeping my feet flexed in order to stay on the rail. Now hanging upside down, I watched the cars zoom beneath me, my hair brushing my face as the wind opposed my position.

Not long after, the rush of air beside me signaled Wade's decent as well. We stayed like that for a while, occasionally exchanging 'your mom' jokes, except only using Tony's mother's name, just to add some spice.

After a particularly long pause, and an increasing awareness of my toes cramping, I caved.

"Why are we still helping them?" I asked, looking over.

"I'm not sure" Wade shrugged, "to further the plot I guess"

I nodded in ascent, staring down at the traffic "Do ya wanna overdose?" I asked, glancing over at him, "I still have some of the good cocaine from Harold" his sly smile told me everything I have to know

With a small wheeze I managed to swing my torso up and watch the rail, letting my legs fall beneath me. As I slithered back over the railing I heard a small sigh, "You have got to be the most pathetic Super Soldier ever" he laughed. Still with one leg over the rail I looked at him, confused, "Stark told me" he gave in answer. I shrugged, yanking my remaining foot over the metal bar with accentuated effort, making add giggle behind me. 

"Sup Al!" I exclaim as we enter the shabby apartment, unfortunately my outburst came forth before I could put together that the slumped heap in the chair was vey clearly snoring. I gave a my bad  look to Wade as he glanced back at me in annoyance. We retrieved the bundle from the floorboards and silently made our way back out the door.

Later that night, we could be found in any number of places, riding the high until our inevitable yet temporary demise. Our chosen resting place this time was the parking lot behind a taco truck that tried to sell toes... later I would find out they were actually beans but oh my fucking god I swear they were toes.

If only we chose any other night, literally any other night. Maybe we would have been able to stop him. But alas, as we lay, entirely deceased in a parking lot, mr. Tony Stark had an idea.