Sooner Rather Than Later (HIATUS)

Chapter 23

2 Years Ago...

"Tasky! How you've been?" Deadpool asked.

Taskmaster groaned a little. He didn't want for it to come to this, but these seemed like the right choice. This way, the blood won't be on his hands and he won't have to do the dirty work other than give the mercenary the name of his target. 

"All righty, who is it I gotta unalive?" 

Deadpool has heard that name before. 

Spiderman.

He didn't know too much about him other than he was a recent hero. He was young, too. How old? Didn't matter. If Taskmaster wants him dead - and he gets a shit ton of money out of it - then he shouldn't get to know Spiderman on a personal level.

So Deadpool played it safe. Normally he didn't care if he was roaming the streets in his suit but if he wanted to catch Spiderman, he didn't want to look too suspicious.

He likes his targets quick and easy.

So he wore his black hat and red hoodie that casts a shadow over his eyes. 

Wade knew that Spiderman is active at night. Most crime happens at night. 

One night in particular, as he was walking down the street - minding his own business - he felt a gun pressed against the back of his head. Wade rolled his eyes, sighing loudly. 

"Dude, seriously?" 

The gunman stated in a shaky but commanding voice, "Empty your pockets."

Wade turned to face the masked person, making the latter jump in surprise. It was clear this guy was new to this robbing-and-threatening people thing. Wade noticed and smiled. 

"That's not the approach I would take," Wade advised. "I would shoot first, then demand the money. Go ahead, try it on me."

"W-what? You think this is a game!?"

"Hells yeah. Life is the best but most painful game ever."

BAM!

On instinct, Wade closed his eyes at the sound and expected to feel a bullet plummet through his body somewhere. But he didn't. When he opened his eyes, he found the gunman webbed to the wall beside him. At this point, a few people exited the stores and building to see what happened. 

Wade eyed the webs and looked up to see Spiderman swinging away from the scene.

"Look! It's Spiderman!" Someone cheered and everyone applauded the young hero. 

Spiderman, who was crouching on a building, looked down at the audience and did his famous cocky wave. 

Wade scoffed a little.

The police took the gunman away while Wade was attempting to follow Spiderman's trail. He still had a job to do, but he felt pretty lazy to actually chase Spiderman. Taskmaster would just have to wait.

A few days later, Wade attempted to find him again. When he did, he noticed something about the hero. He was actually pretty funny. 

His entrances, how he talks to the bad guys, and his last words. Like when he stopped a robbery the day before. Wade watched from the sidelines and was amused by this kid.

That's when it really hit him - he's a kid. Wade found out - don't ask how - that Spiderman is 15. Someone so young is risking their life for others? Wade tried to wrap his head around it. Because if Spiderman wasn't doing this for money, why is he playing hero?

So he kept watching.

A week later, Wade found himself sitting on a rooftop of a very, very tall building. Drunk. White and Yellow were making fun of him but he managed to tune them out. He wanted to drink and drink until he passed out. 

There are many days like this - when Wade questions his worth. Everything. He won't admit it out loud yet but he's terribly alone. He's never known what it was like to be loved. God he wishes he would feel that one feeling he's been craving.

Wade put on his skull mouth mask and shades when he was finished with his drink.

"Fuck feelings!" Wade yelled and threw his bottle off the building, ignoring an 'ow' from a person who got hit with it. He stood and stretched, "Well, time to jump off."

It was like bungee jumping. Minus the bungee.

"Hmmm, how should I land this time? Oh, headfirst!" Wade smiled and jumped off the building. 

Then it went black. 

Wade woke up in his room. Wearing his same clothes and his fuzzy blanket over him. He shook off the blurry vision and looked around, wondering how he got here. Then he heard a cough from his window. 

Spiderman was sitting nonchalantly at his windowsill. "You know if you were going to kill yourself you should at least do it where no one is around so you can spare them the trauma."

Wade just stared. He didn't know what was going through his mind as Spiderman spoke. He knew very well there was a gun under his pillow, a katana under his bed, but he couldn't find the energy to reach for a weapon. 

He was curious as to what the kid was going to say.

Spiderman eyed the guy but he didn't see his face. He still had his shades and mouth mask. 

"I knew where you live since you have ID on you. Listen," the kid began, "I know life sucks. It's a pain in the ass and it's a painful game."

Wade's eyes widened ever so slightly.

"But you know what you do in games? You win them, stupid. So I'll leave you alone now. Just...don't do stuff like that. I don't know your situation or whatever but...God I'm bad at these talks...just don't give up when it gets rough. Bye."

Just like that, he left.

Wade was in shock. 

Spiderman doesn't know this, but no one has ever given him a talk like that. And he thought it was bad? It's just what he needed.

Like that, he forgot Taskmaster's request. 

Because he wanted to find out more about Spiderman. How this kid saves lives and how brave he is. Because Wade wishes he could be like him. 

As months passed and before Wade knew it, he became his number one fan. He would stalk him like crazy. He knows he's a minor which is why he'll wait until he's older to actually have the guts to talk to him. 

"You won't do it?" Taskmaster growled. "Why!?"

"Can't unalive my savior, Tasky."