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Felix has a reputation, he's not exactly proud of it, but it is what it is and he knows what people think before they even speak to him. He tries his best to put on a friendly face, to spread happiness, it's easier now than it once was. Before he had found his place with the others he'd been different, he'd built a life of solitude despite himself because it was the better alternative. Minho had once called it a defense mechanism— or battle armor, he added jokingly — built over his lifetime to protect his sensitive heart, he said it in the way he normally says something too genuine, which is to say it was followed by a clearing of a throat and avoidance of eye contact. Tells that he's learned to avoid around the young students but struggles with everyone he views as an equal.
Felix figures Minho knows what he's talking about because that's par for the course when you have the ability to read minds, you know what people truly believe, what they feel. Even the things they'd rather not admit to themselves.
He supposes that's why Minho had agreed to help him all those years ago, that he saw something worthy within Felix, something that wasn't just pain and that quiet anger festering beneath the surface waiting to be channeled.
However despite that all, the world sees Felix and immediately knows the damage he can do and despite said damage being done for good it's still enough to irk people no matter how friendly and kind he is; nothing can quite shake the unease around him.
Which is why nobody bothers him much, but he can feel the stares.
So it comes as a surprise when he can hear a stranger make their way directly to his secluded corner at the bar. Though the peek of familiar red suit out of the corner of his eye, the lingering scent of gun powder and steel and leather makes him groan heavily, he immediately knows this won't be good.
It never is when Deadpool is involved.
"Hi!" he says, his voice chipper. He cuts his gaze towards him, it's not the first time they've crossed paths and he doubts it'll be the last. "So I know things between us aren't great but this is the part where I tell you I need your help. Yada yada, you say—"
"Fuck off," Felix says, staring at the guy, his posture looks far too relaxed.
He actually perks up, "Exactly! Now that that's out of the way, we can skip ahead and go to you agreeing to help me." He sounds so sure of himself, Felix bets there's a wide smile under that mask.
"You're joking, right?" Felix asks, turning in his seat to face Deadpool better now. He raises a brow.
"Nope, I'm completely serious," he says, raising his hand with his index and middle finger pointed up to the ceiling, his other gloved hand rested over his chest. "Scout's honor!"
"You tried to kill me," Felix urges, "Multiple times. You even tried to kill my friends."
He sighs, posture tensing slightly. "Well, you're still alive, aren't you? That's gotta count for something."
Felix rolls his eyes and turns away, he notices the bartender eyeing them cautiously. Before he clears his throat, and says, "Hey, no weapons in here."
Felix glances at Deadpool, who seems to startle, though likely just for show. "Oh my, that's on me, sir!" he says, "I'll be out of here quick though. Just needed to talk to my best friend here," he continues, there's an arm thrown around Felix before he can register, "He's an X-Men, you know?"
Felix side glances at Deadpool, leaning slightly away, "We're not best friends."
"Aw, you're going to break my heart, Felix."
"You–"
"I don't care," the bartender says, looking at Felix, "Get your friend out of here, Felix."
"Aw, see he thinks we're friends!"
"Now," he insists.
"Sheesh," he says, patting Felix's chest, "They've got no respect for you. Maybe you should've become an Avenger instead. Or, oh, a member of a Kpop group."
Felix glares at him, moving quickly which causes him to stumble slightly. He makes his way towards the door though he can tell it's no use with Deadpool following him.
"By the way, why are you drinking by yourself? That's never a good sign. Do you need to talk?"
Felix stops abruptly turning to face him once they're out of the bar. "Okay, what do you really want, Deadpool?"
"Oh, no need to be so formal," he replies, "You can call me Chan. Or Chris. Or yours."
Felix falters for a moment, staring in disbelief at Deadpool, or well, Chan flirting with him. He's bewildered to say the least.
"You can't see it but I'm winking."
Felix makes a face at that. "You must be desperate for help if you're flirting."
"Maybe I'm multitasking," Chan says, "I don't have to be desperate to flirt with you."
Felix struggles to come up with a response so instead he turns on his heel and begins walking away.
"Okay, but I was being serious, I do need your help."
"You keep saying that but you have yet to say what you need my help with. And why me?"
Chan is next to him, walking in step, he sways slightly and Felix wonders if this is just a ploy to catch him off guard so he can try to kill him again. He knows there's got to be a large price on his head, he's made quite the amount of enemies over the years and then some. Though most mercenaries know better than to try to take the job, Chan is not like most mercenaries. It doesn't take a genius to realize that the man refuses to give up.
"I get why you're hesitant to trust me, but I'm being serious here," Chan says, "I don't know who else to ask for help and you're... Well, you're a hero. Helping is what you do."
"Again not hearing what you need help with," Felix says, sighing and running a hand through his hair as they come up to a crosswalk. The lights red.
Chan sighs, hands behind his back now, he's staring ahead to watch the light. "I'll explain it, but not out in the open."
The light switches and Chan walks briskly across the street making a sharp right down the street. He doesn't slow down and Felix should just keep walking ahead, but he admits the curiosity is getting the best of him. He sighs and follows Chan through the streets of the city, they walk for a while until they reach their destination.
It turns out the more private place that Chan had in mind is a small dive bar that's clearly a safe space for organized crime if the way everyone shifts to stare and draws out weapons when they realize who has just walked in is anything to go by. Felix stops and thinks of course this was just a ploy as he glares at Chan.
But Chan quickly steps in front, hands raised, "Cool it guys, he's with me and he's no narc."
Nobody puts away their weapons, although nobody moves much either.
Chan sighs, "Plus the guy is indestructible. Is that something you want to go against?"
There's a long pause. Though no movement happens, but everyone eases up, weapons slowly being put away. Felix doesn't need to look to feel their heavy gazes as Chan leads them through the bar towards the backroom.
It's cluttered with boxes and odd pieces of furniture, a wipe board pushed off to the side. Felix glances around awkwardly standing as he waits for Chan to say or do something.
Honestly he wishes it was as simple as Chan being sent to kill him again. At least in that situation he'd know what to do, it would make sense.
Chan clears his throat, wheeling the wipe board towards the center. "So, the thing I need your help with is this," he flips it over to show an array of scribble and words that Felix only glazes over. In one corner there is a bunch of papers taped to it that looks like it's been taken from files that Chan likely has no right to be in possession of.
He moves forward until he's able to make sense of the words more clearly. He doesn't need to finish scanning them before he sees the name that he knows all too well: Stryker. His heart races slightly as flashes of memories come forward, he swallows hard as he clenches his hands into fists to stop from shaking.
"Why didn't you lead with this?" he asks, voice cracking slightly.
"I would've," Chan says, voice softer and that's odd because he's never come across as soft, "But you didn't give me a chance, besides I figured you'd want proof."
Felix takes a shaky breath. He swallows hard, eyes scanning the pages, "What's he doing this time?"
"The same old same old," Chan replies, "Turns out someone let him out of prison and he's right back to experimenting on mutants. What I really need help with is saving this one kid, but if we can save everyone else, that's another bonus."
Felix looks over at him, tilting his head, "What's the deal with the kid?"
Chan sighs, "He's just a troubled kid that I'm trying to look out for."
Felix purses his lips as he scans over the information again. He sighs, running a hand through his hair.
"You know what this guy's like," Chan points out the obvious, his usual humor has subdued, "I could really use the Wolverine's help."
Felix scoffs, raising a brow, "You're telling me mutants are in trouble and expect me to say no?"
Chan shifts awkwardly, a high pitched breathless laugh escaping him as he touches the back of his head. It's an odd sight, they don't really know each other that well, and the several times they have interacted they'd been on opposing sides, but he's always been so confident and self assured.
"I mean, I knew you wouldn't say no to saving them," Chan says, that nervous laugh is there again, "I just thought you'd say something like, this is X-Men business. You know, take it to Professor and leave me out."
Felix sighs, crossing his arms as he looks at the board again, "You are a wildcard. But... You do know Stryker better than the rest of us."
He notices Chan perk up out of the corner of his eye, and he hears a little laugh, "Is this really happening? Are we having a team up?"
Felix feels his mouth twitch, he wants to laugh or smile, but he fights against it. Instead he rolls his eyes, and says, "Don't make me regret this, Chan."
Chan laughs again, clapping his hands slightly, he bounds closer to Felix and wraps his arm around his shoulder. "Two best friends off to save the day," he says triumphantly, "Like all great stories."
"We're not best friends."
"No, but we will be," Chan says, voice teetering into delight, he sounds certain.
Felix hums in disagreement, "I doubt that."
Chan moves away. "We will, it's part of the mission plan," he says, an obvious smile in his voice, as he taps the bottom of the board. "See we save the day and become BFF's."
Felix's gaze goes to where Chan is pointing, his gloved finger has wiped away some of the marker, but there are several drawings that Felix didn't bother to pay attention to. There's a little red figure meant to be Chan standing next to a figure in yellow with long lines of yellow around the head to mirror his hair and lines sticking out of its hands. The figures are in front of a building that must represent the compound Stryker is working from with question marks doodled around it followed by a scribbled mess that mimics explosions. Followed by the words day is saved! with some oddly shaped doodles around it.
Then the two figures repeated again with the words best friends scrawled over them.
Felix can't help but laugh, it's almost ridiculous to think that Chan, the infamous Deadpool, had taken the time to draw out the whole ordeal.
"That doesn't mean shit, Chan," Felix says, though he's smiling, "Just because you draw a picture of us being best friends doesn't mean it'll come true."
"Um, it's called manifestation," Chan says, matter-of-factly, "It's all the rage you wouldn't get it."
"Pretty sure that's not how it works."
Chan sighs heavily, "You're playing hard to get and I respect that, but mark my words, we will be best friends one day."
Felix laughs, shaking his head, "Maybe let's just focus on saving the day, yeah?"