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Peter knows it’s a bad idea. He knows it. But he’s in his civvies, and he just wants to have a good time, and Wade is right here and he wants Peter too and Peter just can’t resist. So he leaves the bar with his best friend whom he’s also big-time crushing on and goes to his best friend’s place even though he knows his daughter is coming tomorrow. Well. Maybe especially because his daughter’s coming tomorrow. He can’t help it. Wade’s talked so much about Ellie that Peter hopes he can finally meet her.
They have sex that night and he loves every moment of it.
In the morning, he wakes up before Wade and decides that the least he can do is make breakfast. It’s not a big deal, his skewed judgment says, because Spidey-him has been here tons of times, playing games and watching movies and chilling with Wade. He picks up boxers off the floor and a shirt that he knows belongs to Wade and puts them on, heading to the kitchen. After rummaging around in the cabinets, he finds all the ingredients necessary to make pancakes, so he gets to work. When he’s done, he plates them and brings them into the bedroom.
“Hey, listen, Peter, so last night was nice and all, but you gotta leave.”
“What? No, man, I just made this and I’m starving,” Peter protests.
“No, like, you really gotta get the fuck out, because -” He’s cut off when the doorbell rings, and then he springs into action.
“Oh, fuck fuck fuck fuck, okay. Stay in here and don’t come out. I gotta get my daughter,” Wade says to Peter. He shuts the door behind himself and then comes back in a few seconds later to grab his clothes and shimmy into them. Peter snickers and Wade mutters a “shut up” before closing the door again. He stays in there to humour Wade, eating the pancake on top. He hears Wade talk to the famed Ellie, and then the social worker. Then he hears some footsteps near him, too light to be that of an adult’s, and he just has to meet her, so he quickly puts his own clothes back on and opens the door.
“Hi Ellie,” he says, bending down so he’s at her level. She narrows his eyes at him and he can’t help but laugh quietly.
“Who are you?”
“I’m Peter, your dad’s friend.”
“Really. But I haven’t seen you or heard of you afore,” she replies suspiciously. I’m sure you have seen me plenty of times on the news, he thinks.
“No, you haven’t. Are you hungry? I made pancakes, and I can make more, and eggs.”
“How do I know you’re not gonna poison and kidnap me?” He has to stifle his laughter because she’s got a good point.
“Well, you don’t. But would you feel better if I ate it too? Because I’m really hungry.” She shrugs.
“Okay,” she says agreeably, animosity gone. He huffs out a laugh and gets up, following her into the kitchen. He sets the plate down on the table, grabbing another plate for her.
“D’you want eggs?”
“Uh huh,” Ellie replies, mouth full. “And can I have some milk please?” She’s already gotten the syrup out and poured a ton on her pancakes.
“Of course! I love your manners,” Peter praises, pouring her her glass of milk.
“Thank you. I got them from Daddy and from school.” Peter places the milk down on the table and heads back to the stove. He decides to scramble the eggs, because all kids love scrambled eggs, right? The worst that could happen is that she doesn’t like them and then he’ll just make her some more.
“Oh yeah? How’s school?”
“School’s okay. But sometimes the other kids are . . .” Peter turns back to see that she’s scrunched up her nose and made a face. He laughs. “‘S not funny. They can be real mean or just dumb.”
“What about you?”
“No! Course not! Well. But only to people that are mean, then I’m mean back.”
“Makes sense. Whaddyou like learning about?”
“I like learning about rocks and about space and about animals and nature! Did you know there’s three kinds of rocks?”
“Oh yeah? What are they?”
“Metamorphic, sedimentary, and igneous rocks!” She concentrates real hard when she says the names, and Peter’s heart just about melts. He places the plate of eggs on the table and turns the stove off, placing the pan on the sink counter. He starts pouring himself a glass of milk when Wade walks in with the social worker. She makes a beeline for him and it’s almost comical.
“And who might you be?”
“I’m Peter Parker, a friend of Wade’s. I’d worked late last night, and my car just decided to break down on my way home, and Wade was kind enough to let me stay the night,” he makes up on the fly. He doesn’t even have a fucking car, but she doesn’t need to know that. “Why don’t you have breakfast with us? I’ve made enough food, I think.” She nods, so he grabs three more plates and some forks and knives and heads to the table.
“So what do you do for a living, Mr. Parker?”
“Oh, I don’t work. I’m actually in college right now, working on my engineering degree.”
“Huh. And when you said you were working late last night, was that a lie?”
“Oh, no, sorry ma'am. I meant that I was studying at the library, and well, as a college student, that’s basically your job.” Peter laughs a little, sounding very fake to himself, but the social worker smiles.
“So, Peter, what do you like to do outside of school?” And now it’s Peter. Alright.
“I do love volunteering when I can. There’s something so rewarding from helping other people. And photography. I’ve loved it for what seems like forever.”
“Who do you live with? Do you still live at home?”
“Nah. I’ve got my own place, though it’s admittedly not too far from my aunt’s place. Aunt May was the one who raised me, since my parents unfortunately died young, and I really love her so much. I wouldn’t have been who I am today if not for her.”
The social worker keeps asking him questions, but he can tell she likes him, at least. He doesn’t like her, though. She’s very . . . snobby. She doesn’t try to hide or disguise her condescending attitude towards Wade and his place. She’s so very judgmental, and he can almost feel it in waves radiating out from her. Not to mention the tenseness with which Wade holds himself, which doesn’t go unnoticed. The only reason why he’s not snapping at her for making his best friend so nervous is because he wants this to go well, and for Wade to get to have custody of his own daughter.
Peter stays at least as long as the social worker does, because he’s pretty sure leaving Wade alone with her would be considered inhumane torture. He plays with Ellie when the social worker needs to talk one-on-one with Wade, because Ellie doesn’t need to hear that. Ellie also likes him. She’s very much like Wade, he discovers, the more he spends time with her. He’s glad, because it makes it extremely easy to like her too.
Before she has to go with the social worker, he plays dinosaurs with her. It’s actually just him putting her on his shoulders and roaring and stomping around. It makes her giggle uncontrollably, and he knows he absolutely adores this precious little human. He takes her to her room so she can retrieve her bag and lets her back down when they’re at the front door.
“Bye Peter. I hope I see you soon,” Ellie says wistfully.
“Bye Ellie. Thank you so much for letting me play with you! It was so much fun!” She hugs her dad tightly, and then runs at Peter to hug him. And then the bundle of energy that is Ellie is out the door with the social worker. Sad about Ellie, but yay to the social worker leaving!
“Dude, your daughter is so sweet! I bet she picked it up from her amazing father!” Peter exclaims, attempting to start a conversation with Wade.
“Fuck off,” Wade mutters in response. He heads sullenly to the kitchen to clean up, and Peter rushes in to help. O . . . kay, so that didn’t work, but he’ll be damned if he lets them clean in silence. He knows how talkative Wade is.
“I’m sorry for butting in like that; I’ve just been really wanting to meet Ellie,” Peter gushes.
“I - what do you mean? I never told you about my daughter.” If Peter thought Wade was tense before, that’s nothing compared to now. And fuck. He’s really messed up. Wade didn’t tell Peter; he told Spidey. He makes a really quick decision on the spot to just come clean. He doesn’t know if he’d be able to keep being around Wade as Spidey without saying anything or feeling awkward.
“Uh . . . yeah, actually. You tell me about her all the time.” He tries saying that first, because surely Wade can’t be that bad at putting all the pieces together. His voice, his lips (which Wade refers to as luscious), his ass (which Wade waxes poetic about).
“Uh . . . what the fuck I’ve literally only just met you last night,” Wade shoots back.
“I . . . do you really not know who I am?”
“No, what the fuck? I just met you last night and you keep pushing this bullshit. I’ll have you know I’m a very capable mercenary who doesn’t appreciate fucking creeps.” Peter sighs heavily. Okay. If Wade’s not gonna get this himself, then Peter’s gonna hafta tell him. Well. It had to happen sometime.
“Thwip thwip,” Peter says resignedly. He does his little webshooter motion too.
“You’re . . .”
“Spidey, yeah.” Wade laughs ludicrously.
“Yeah, and I’m Cap him-fucking-self. Prove it. Prove you’re Spider-Man.”
“Is it okay if I touch your face?”
“Yeah.” Peter lifts his hand up slowly, so Wade has time to back up if he changes his mind. When Wade doesn’t seem concerned with Peter being about to touch him, Peter touches Wade’s cheek with his fingertips. He’s sure Wade can feel the subtle difference, but Wade still tries pulling Peter’s hand off. Wade lets go when it becomes apparent that only Peter would be able to, and Peter removes his hand. Wade slumps over, head bowed, and Peter puts a hand on his shoulder. There’s no protest from Wade, so he wraps him up in a hug.
“I’m sorry, Wade. How are you feelin’?”
“Not good,” Wade answers humourlessly. Peter holds him a little tighter.
“Thanks for asking earlier, about the touch thing,” Wade mumbles.
“Of course,” Peter says gently yet firmly. He tilts Wade’s chin up, making it obvious he’s about to kiss him and giving him time to back out of it. Wade again doesn’t protest, so Peter kisses him and then goes back to hugging him. Wade sighs softly and rests his head on Peter’s shoulder, pushing his face into the crook of Peter’s neck and finally wrapping his arms around Peter.
“Do you wanna come back the next time Ellie’s over? She really likes you,” Wade murmurs. Peter hums in affirmation.
“And when she’s not over,” Peter says in the leering tone Wade often uses. It sends Wade into a fit of giggles, which sends him into a fit of giggles.
It works, and Peter considers it a win. Everything that followed them meeting as civilians in the bar makes Wade trust him more, both as Peter and as Spidey. And, he definitely becomes a bigger part of Wade’s life. He loves pretty much every minute of it.