KALEIDOSCOPE ━ WADE WILSON

CHAPTER SEVEN

PLAYLIST;
i. wasteland, baby! - hozier
ii.   secrets - one republic
iii. human - rag'n'bone man
iv. about you - the 1975
v. chihiro - billie eilish
vi. lover, you should've come over - jeff buckley

–

Ainoa and Wade darted through the alleyways of the dockyard, their breaths ragged and hearts pounding. They finally found refuge in an abandoned boathouse, hidden away from from prying eyes and the chaos they had left behind.

Ainoa leaned against the wooden wall, trying to steady her breathing.

Wade, ever the joker, broke the tension. "Well, that was fun," he took off his mask, "Next time, let's just go bowling."

Ainoa nodded, but her thoughts were elsewhere. The pain of the revelations, the confrontation with Juan, and the narrow escape left her feeling raw and exposed. She glanced over at Wade, who was now leaning against a stack of crates inside the boathouse.

"You okay?" Wade asked, catching her eye. His voice was softer, more serious than before.

Ainoa hesitated before answering. "It's just a lot to process. Finding out what happened to my parents, to Santiago... it's overwhelming."

Wade stepped closer, his expression sympathetic. "Yeah, I can imagine. That Juan guy is a real piece of work. But you handled yourself well out there."

Ainoa offered a small, grateful smile. "Thank you. I couldn't have done it without you."

He returned the smile, though his eyes were thoughtful. "Glad I could help. You're tougher than you look, you know."

She raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "And you're not as much of a pain as you seem."

Wade chuckled, but there was a tension in the air, a sense of something unspoken hanging between them.

Ainoa fidgeted with the edge of her sleeve, her mind racing as she tried to reconcile the emotions swirling inside her. Wade, sensing her struggle, leaned against the crates and waited patiently, giving her space.

Finally, Ainoa looked up, her gaze meeting Wade's. "I've spent years trying to move past what happened, to find some sort of closure. Tonight... it all came rushing back. The anger, the grief..."

Wade's expression softened, his usual light-hearted demeanor replaced with genuine concern. "You don't have to go through this alone. I may be a wisecracking mercenary, but I get it, really."

Ainoa took a deep breath, her emotions close to the surface. "I've been so focused on seeking revenge and pushing forward, that I've ignored how much this has all hurt. It's hard to let myself feel anything else."

Wade nodded, his eyes never leaving hers. "Hey, it's okay to feel. You don't have to be all stoic and stuff. We're not robots. Well, I'm not. Are you? 'Cause that would explain a lot."

A slight chuckle escaped Ainoa's lips as she looked away briefly. "It's just... everything feels so overwhelming right now. And you.. being here, it's confusing."

Wade stepped closer, the air between them charged with an unspoken intensity. "Hey, sometimes the weirdest connections are the ones that matter. We don't have to figure it all out right now. Maybe just being here for each other is enough."

Ainoa met his gaze again, a small, hesitant smile forming on her lips. "Wow, didn't think you were the type to get all deep."

Wade grinned, his usual humor returning. "Oh, I'm full of surprises. Just wait until you see me at a poetry slam."