#1 STOPWATCH

Chapter 3

Much to Wade's relief the Spider did NOT further beat the shit out of him which was a bit of a surprise. It would have put good damper on the Merc's eagerness to eventually bond with the Hero... With his soulmate... Spider-Man of all people. 

They'd since parted ways, but Wade had so many questions, several he didn't really think he had any right to ask. 

He had a soulmate. Someone who hadn't died on him yet. And it wasn't just some Jane or Joe either, it was someone who could keep up with him. They might not stand on the same side fo the fence but they could see the same view.

Would he ever actually get to see that face again? Would the spider ever tell Wade about himself, his life, his childhood? Did he have a good childhood? One unlike Wade's? Would Spidey care to know him back?  Would they ever learn to love or would they be just friends? Would they be anything at all considering the abuse Wade inflicted?

[Don't get too ahead of yourself.] Yellow warned. Even slight hope was dangerous.

He wondered if the stranger could stand to see this face. Did he simply hug Wade as a way to hide from having to look at the ugly scars or was it genuine?

(He was crying )

[That could mean anything.]

Doubt crept up on him as he lounged on his well worn couch in his equally worn and small apartment.

Why was the universe so cruel, giving a guy as normal as his soulmate someone like Wade to buddy up with.  Granted the guy was obviously able to hold his own, but he had a lot of emotions going on based off that broken nose he'd gifted. Wade had already ruined his soulmates life to some degree. That was without taking into consideration that Wade was unstable, untrustworthy, and insane.

He should really leave, get out of town, or disappear before he could do something worse. He had a great skill at making any and all situations five thousand times worse. He impressed himself at times, honestly. But at the same time, the thought of just walking away from his soul mate felt impossible. He couldn't say he hadn't been waiting. He'd been curious, purposefully forgetting in order to ignore the anticipation at times. He'd be such a burden, he knew that but how could he just walk away from something the universe very directly laid out in front of him?

[It would be safest to move on and out of his life. Show him we aren't interested and save him the trouble of having to deal with us so he can move on and maybe find someone he will love. This is too dangerous of a game]  Yellow was right.

(But he told us we'd meet again. He even gave a location and time. Like a date.)

"The same kind of date you have with a friend or business partner, it's not like that. He needs time to think about how he'll deal with me." Wade muttered

He glanced down at his watch and stared at its steady and unmoving screen.

- : - : - : -

( ... I don't want to push him away. ) 

[ Don't be like a child. We can't torture someone like that. Not him. ]

...

I wonder what his name is?

__________

Peter

Peter couldn't believe himself. 

He'd compromised his identity to a Mercenary that very well could turn around and sell away his information. Soulmate or not, what the hell?