Cecily stood in the dark next to Vanessa, her patience thinning as she waited for Wade to come home. She wasn't entirely sure why she was here—Wade was tolerable, and he occasionally made her laugh, but she didn't exactly have a deep affection for him.

The door creaked open, and a chorus of voices shouted, "Surprise!" as Wade stepped inside. He looked momentarily taken aback before breaking into a wide grin. "Hey! You guys are lucky I'm not armed," he said with a playful tone.

He reached out, pulling them into a warm hug. "If this were six years ago, you'd all be dead," he joked, his words carrying a mix of nostalgia and relief.

Cecily stood by the punch bowl when Wade approached her. "Didn't expect to see you here. Heard you don't get out much these days," Wade said with a smirk.

Cecily shot him an annoyed smile. "It's your birthday, so I'm going to be nice. Happy birthday, Wade."

Wade grinned. "Thank you, Cecily. That's so nice of you to say."

She rolled her eyes and spotted Vanessa heading their way. "Oh, don't look now, but your favorite person is walking over," Cecily said, giving Wade a pat on the shoulder. "Get her, tiger," she added with a smirk before walking away.

Everyone gathered around the table, singing "Happy Birthday" in unison. As the song ended, someone called out, "Speech!"

Wade grinned and clapped his hands together. "Okay, okay, um... Birthdays. Boy, every spin around the moon is a new adventure, indeed."

"Sun, dumbass," Blind Al corrected from the side.

"Okay, round earther," Wade shot back with a smirk, earning a few laughs from the group.

Wade paused, trying to pick up where he left off. "Where was I?"

"The adventure of life," Colossus chimed in helpfully.

"Right, right," Wade nodded, his tone turning a bit more serious. "It's been a challenging few years. I haven't seen you guys in a while, and, well, I've been through a lot. A... change of life."

"Menopause?" someone quipped from the crowd, genuinely curious.

Wade shot them a mock glare. "Bitch, are you improving righ now?"

"I'm sorry you had to see that, Yukio," he whispered dramatically to the pink-haired girl across the table.

"It's okay," Yukio whispered back, a small smile on her face.

Cecily couldn't help but grin as she leaned back, her hands resting on her shoulders. Wade sighed, his gaze softening. "But I'm happy," he said, his voice sincere as he looked around the table. "And that's because of each and every one of you."

He picked up a picture of all of them that had been set on the cake, holding it up for everyone to see. "I guess what I'm trying to say is how proud I am, how grateful I am to be standing in a room with every single person I love." His eyes lingered on Vanessa, his voice thick with emotion.

Cecily chuckled softly, looking down for a moment as she tried to hide her own emotions.

"I'm the luckiest man alive," Wade said, his voice breaking slightly. "Make a wish, buddy," Vanessa encouraged, her hand resting on his shoulder.

Wade blew out the candle, the room erupting into cheers. Just then, there was a knock at the door. Cecily didn't think much of it; she was already eyeing the cake, just wanting a slice.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

There was another knock at the door, more insistent this time. Cecily, being the closest, went to open it. As she swung the door wide, she found herself staring at Wade—fully suited up in his Deadpool gear. Her confusion was palpable as she pointed at him, then back inside where the party was still in full swing, then back at him.

She let out a long sigh, rubbing her temples. "Do I even want to know?" she asked, already bracing herself for whatever ridiculous explanation he had.

"Long story short," Wade began, his tone unusually serious, "when Logan died, our universe starting dying. So, I'm going on a hunt to find a new Logan before those TVA guys completely destroy everything. And I'm taking you with me."

Cecily stared at him, her expression shifting from confusion to something more intense. "I have no idea what you just said to me, and I really don't care," she replied, crossing her arms. "But if you think, for even a moment, that I'm going to 'different universes' with you to 'find another Logan,' you are out of your goddamn mind, Wade Wilson."

"You're the only one who can help me, Cecily," Wade insisted, his tone softening. "I need you."

Cecily's gaze hardened. "If I even believed you, which I don't, and if I were to see another Logan, one who's alive..." Her voice wavered as the weight of her words settled in. "I'd probably spiral all over again. I'd probably try to kill myself again, Wade. So thanks but no thanks."

Wade looked at her, unfazed. "Sorry, peanut, but I need your help." Without another word, he pushed her back into the portal he'd opened. Cecily stumbled and fell onto the hard wooden floor of a bar. She looked up, disoriented, as Wade stepped through after her.

"Logan!" Wade called out, scanning the room. "I'm gonna need you to come with me."

Cecily stood up slowly. She didn't even look at the man across the bar. "It's not him," she muttered, knowing the truth before Wade even spoke.

"You don't know that," Wade retorted, though there was a flicker of doubt in his voice. But Cecily knew—she always knew.

"Who's asking?" a gruff voice responded as Logan jumped down from his stool.

Wade grinned, his usual sarcasm creeping back. "Well, look at this hairy little runt. Did you stick the landing, little guy?" he taunted. "Yes, you did! Comic-accurate short king. Such a cute wittle Wolvie. Cue the fucking montage, baby."

He stepped back toward the portal door, ready for the next adventure. Cecily hesitated for a moment, before she reluctantly followed close behind Wade.

They traveled to countless places, each one a blur of disappointment for Wade and a nightmare for Cecily. She refused to look or help, staying back as Wade charged ahead, determined to find a Wolverine. Every Wolverine they encountered fought him off, and Cecily listened with cold indifference as Wade took beating after beating.

The latest portal threw Wade onto a pool table with a loud crash. Cecily followed, stepping through the portal just in time to see him sprawled out on the felt.

"You know, peanut, you'd be a lot more useful if you helped me out here," Wade said, struggling to get up.

"I told you, Wade, I didn't want to do thi—" Cecily's words trailed off, her voice dropping to a whisper as something caught her eye. "Holy shit."

Wade, sensing her change in tone, followed her gaze. Cecily refused to look directly at him, but she couldn't ignore the heavy presence of Logan sitting at the bar.

"Well, I guess you found your anchor being," she murmured, her heart pounding as memories she'd tried so hard to bury resurfaced. He was the one Wade needed. She knew it.

i have a new charles fic you guys should like check out if you like cecily :3 you'll love sophia