Spidey stared at him, eyes wide with shock and a hint of horror. The expressed disgust plucked a nerve in Wade in a way that made him shrivel a little on the inside.

Needless to say, Wade was pretty sure that he'd have to alter the relationship status with his soulmate. The game that was still up and running on his device, mocking him as the emote menu remained active as he stared up at the brunette. One more negative emote would surely tip the balance in their ever-so-delicate budding relationship.

[Told you something would go wrong] White snapped. [Now look, you've ruined everything again because you don't think that maybe listening to the box literally named logic in some contexts is something that could be beneficial. Why don't we go dig our grave while you're at it? He's going to hate us now. Why didn't you listen the first time when I said to just run away. To just leave this guy alone. If he had any sort of interest in us beforehand, it's long gone now that he thinks we hunted him down.]

(Cool your shiz balls, let's see what happens first.)

"...Peter?" Wade asked an octave or two higher than he'd intended. He offered a pitiful grimace.

He couldn't let Yellow take over here. It was obvious that Spidey didn't appreciate his self-directed depreciation. He had a feeling that would piss the spider off more than he already probably had. His soulmate's hazel eyes were becoming hard to look at as he tried to convince himself to act as if it were the stranger Peter Parker he'd planned to meet and not his soulmate.

" Yes?" Peter asked carefully. The photographer glanced around warily as if expecting something to jump out at him from behind.

[Can't exactly blame him. I'm sure he thinks we're tracking him down with the intent to do our schtick.]

(Pew Pew! Pew!) White offered hintfull sound effects.

" I... er. " Wade paused to collect himself before starting again with a new tone. The one he used to discuss particularly important jobs with clients. A calm and dangerous tone.

[Because he's a moron. Seriously, you'd think maybe that would be a poor way to talk? He's scared of us and you go and make it sound like his fears are coming true.]

(OR so people around us don't notice that a well known mercenary is practically trembling at this guy's feet.)

Wade resisted chastising the trembling comment.

"I need to speak with you."

Peter stared at him, eyes hardening as he followed the act. "Follow me." His tone had a bite to it.

(See. He's got the idea.)

Peter turned, leading Wade away to an elevator that was already headed to the third floor of the building. The person already standing there eyed Wade's getup and then Peter. They didn't say anything but wade could imagine they were wondering where Parker got ahold of all these crazies clad in red.

When they all stepped out Peter led him the opposite way of the stranger to lead him down an empty hall before using his super spider strength to unnecessarily shove Wade into a custodian closet.

The small space was cramped with all the shit that was laying on the floor real-estate, and that was before Peter shoved his way in after Wade. The merc was standing on his toes to try and put some distance between them. Or to at least give Peter room to stand without being touched.

The silence was deafening between them as Peter stared into Wade's soul despite the white glaze of his mask between them. He had to fill the quiet before it killed him. "You had to pick a supply closet? Nothing innocent happens in a closet, haven't you ever been on the internet?" Wade laughed nervously as he tried to push himself further back into the shelves only to push over a bottle of cleaner with his shoulder. Lucky it was closed . . .

The half empty jug clunked to the floor with a deep plop, the slosh of the liquid made him uncomfortable but he didn't dare look down to check that they weren't spilling bleach all over the place.

Peter was still staring at him, eyes unblinking and body seething with anger. If this were a studio ghibli film he was sure this would be a scene where Peter's hair would start puffing up in ghibli fashion.

"Deadpool," the man finaly hissed.

"Yes, mother dearest?" Wade squeaked out, wishing he had enough room to clap his hand over his mouth. What the fuck did he just say? Why did that come out? He didn't want to say that. Shit.

Hazel eyes darkened, the tense unreadable seething shifting into something that made alarm bells ring in Wade's mind.

Peter tugged him down by his katana straps, forcing him to scrunch and contort so they were face to face. It was uneasy. He felt like he was trespassing into Peter's space despite being forced to stay there. Or maybe it was his space that was being invaded? That would be a first. Mostly.

What was more terrifying was the fact that his body liked it. He didn't like it but something that was happening here was turning his crank and honestly, he wanted to just shrivel up and disappear. If Peter noticed the involuntary reaction he was certain he'd be thrown out of the building- literally. Right through the wall.

(Well he's pressed pretty close. It's only a matter of seconds now. I wonder if he'll have any qualms about smacking you around like a little bitch, the way you deserve?)

Wade prayed the box would shut up.

"What exactly do you think you're doing? This is where I work. I can't have you ruining what little I have left. How the hell did you find me?" Peter demanded, his voice booming despite being little more than a whisper.

"I was just trying to-"

"Never mind. I'm already late for my portfolio review." Peter snapped. "You're going to wait here until I come to get you. Is that clear? You will not leave this room." Peter growled and jerked Wade closer by his straps. "And you will not make a noise. Do you understand?"

Normally he should be cracking a few jokes right about now or making some move to disp[erese his discomfort but in face of Peter's seriousness, he didn't want to risk losing any appendages. He decided to just nod.

"Behave yourself" Peter gritted out, glaring him up and down before releseing him to slip out of the room.

Wade breathed a sigh of relief when the door shut again. That had been something along the lines of terrifying. Actually, he felt a little jittery with adrenaline.

(Whoa)

[Oh please. Don't make any stupid comments]

(That was kinda hot don't you think? I mean, sure it wasn't a 10/10 but still, it was the best we've gotten in years. I'd give a good 6 or 7. I mean, you know? He was playing, he had to be)

[Shut up. He looked absolutely pissed]

"Agreed. Shut up." Wade mumbled as he stared down at the floor solemnly before he knelt down to pick up the bottle of bleach.

_________

It had been a complete hour and a half since Spidey had left him in that damned closet. He had bored himself out playing with his phone and since moved on to his knives. He lazily tossed them up into the air and let them fall back down before catching them by the grip. Back up again and then back down into his ready hand. He was about to fling it up again just as the door opened. He perked up, blinded for half a second from where he was sitting on the floor against the yellow mop trolly that reeked of cleaner. His mixed relief and dread quickly shifted when he realized his soulmate wasn't the one who'd opened the door.

"Whoa," he announced loudly

A man and woman were too engrossed with one another to notice the room was already occupied. Under any other circumstance, he might be happy to stay a minute and observe but today just wasn't the day.

"Excuse me," He forced his way past them and nudged out of the impossible space but not without getting a very confused feel-up on his way by. He tripped on something just as he slipped out the door and thus stumbled awkwardly into the hallway.

He stood there dumbly, listening to the startled noises and muttering from the two as the door was quickly pulled shut behind him.

Peter was going to skin him alive if he wasn't in that closet when he came back.

[You're so weak. look at how scared you are of disappointing your soulmate all because you know he's your only chance at ever being appreciated.]

Wade didn't respond, deciding to look both way before apprehensively choosing to wander down the hall. He'd be biting his nails in an unappealing habit if gloves weren't protecting his hands and his mask was firmly covering his lips. Instead, he tucked his hands under his arms, waiting for the onslaught to greet him.

(Oh please, we all know he's really just nervous because Petey lovingly beat him into submission. What a smart move. I wonder if he'll do it again? It always did take your father a swift hit to get you to listen) White snickered. (You're a bad boy aren't you?)

Wade turned the corner only to run head-on into his Soulmate. Despite the smaller size of the other, Peter didn't budge. In fact, Wade was forced to bounce back in order to catch his balance.

The Merc's mouth went dry as a wave of fear and shame made the skin on his cheeks and down his neck burn with embarrassment, a feeling of utter despair settling heavily in his chest. He knew something bad would happen.

Peter was confused for a momnet. It took him a second to register what he'd run into and in that time Wade took the chance to cover Peter's mouth with a red and black glove so he had a chance to explain himself.

"I didn't leave, I was forced out. In my defense nothing innocent happens in those closets, Peter. Use your super ears and listen if you don't believe me."

[Huh. So I wonder if he can smell fear. He might be kinder if he could sense the waves of it rolling off of your sorry ass.]

Peter gave the Merc a blank, eerie and truly dangerous stare with his harsh hazel eyes (Seeming to not have listened to a word Wade said)[Cough cough, or just not caring] before removing the hand covering his face with a growl of annoyance. "Roof. Now."

(We just got ourselves in more trouble than we already were. Hope You're happy. You just royally fucked us.)

Wade nodded silently in agreement before he was harshly pulled along.

Special thanks to Patron Jade for their pledge. Their support has brought to you this edited edition of Stopwatch. If you would like to see more of Stopwatch edited in the future, consider pledging $1 to my Patreon. Link in bio.

https://www.patreon.com/Narloch

(Originally published 2016, officially edited 2022)

Until next time

~ Shadow-Assassin