Work Text:
Peter Parker always never wanted to die. Some people thought he did because of his nightly activities as Spider-man.
No one knew Peter Parker. Even before the spell. Even before he ruined the lives of his friends.
The one thing Peter always wanted was to be remembered and seen.
Wade Wilson knew Peter Parker. Knew him like the back of his scarred hand. Knew he was the sweetest boy to ever exist.
Everyone knew Wade Wilson, even more when he was Deadpool. Even before the cancer. Even before he had his life ruined.
------
Another day another meeting. Wade was meeting with Pepper Potts again on the funds for the Parker Fund. They'd been working for weeks trying to find something that met what Wade wanted for this foundation, what Stark Industries stood for, and what the Xavier Institute fought for. You'd think it'd be easy right? Just fund mutant help centers and wahbam! Everyone's happy.
But it wasn't that easy. It was never that easy.
The X-Men wanted something that supported all mutants and tore down all Mutant hate groups.
Stark Industries wanted more centers for mutants.
Wade just wanted to tell his lovers story.
But it wasn't that easy. It was never that easy for Peter Parker.
"Mr. Wilson, we don't have the funding to take all of them down. We need to at least make safe spaces for them." Pepper sighed. He bun was loose and a few strands of hair stuck out. She was swamped, with keeping S.I. afloat, taking care of Morgan, dealing with the "New Avengerz" initiatives S.H.E.I.L.D and Valentina kept trying to convince her to help, and now the X-Men and Wade fucking Wilson trying to create mutant support groups.
"I know, Ma'am but the safe spaces won't be safe unless the people attacking them are gone!" Wade was never this formal, not even with his idols.
Pepper sighed and tapped her manicured nails on the conference table. "How about this..."
They spoke until Pepper had to go to her next meeting. Having come to the desicion to support mutants in need of medical care first before they move onto anything else.
"Alright. Thats settled. Are you ready for tomorrow's press conference? You still haven't told me what the big reveal will be. It better be good because I cannot deal with another PR disaster this week." Pepper said while gathering her things.
"Trust me Miss Potts, I have everything ready. Just need to finish a few things with Logan and we'll be ready for tomorrow." Wade smiled, running his finger over the black band around his middle finger. Peter always found it funny that Wade's middle finger never got cut off somehow.
"Alright, well be on time tomorrow morning. I'll see you then."
------
It was time, time to introduce him to the world again. It felt like giving birth to a prince or something.
Wade, Logan, and Pepper all stepped out onto the small stage. In front of them, in the audience, sat the press and the two "New Avengerz" teams, the X-Men, and other heros and vigilantes, some in costume, some not.
"Goodmorning everyone. Thank you all for joining us. Today we'd like to introduce S.I.'s newest project, made possible with the X-Men, The Parker Fund. We hope with this fund to help support mutants in need of anything from medical support, to homes, to food, and job opportunities."
Pepper paused and watched as hands rose in the audience. "You, sir." She pointed at a man in the back, holding a camera and a tape recorder.
"Why the 'Parker' Fund? Who is Parker?"
"The name was decided by the man behind the Fund itself, Wade Wilson. I don't currently know the meaning behind the name but I was told everyone would be finding out today. Next question." She pointed at a woman closer to the front.
"Why fund mutants especially? Aren't there regular humans who need the support as well? Don't the mutants already have a whole school dedicated to them?" The lady asked.
"Because they need it just as much as the average human. There are funds and foundations created all over the world to support the people, but there are very few to support mutants. And while yes they have a school, they only have that one. They don't have millions like we do. Next question." She points at the person in the center of the audience.
"Why choose to work with Wade Wilson? I mean no disrespect, I think his heart is in the right place for the most part, but won't this look bad to others?"
"Mr Wilson is not the best person, even i can admit that. But he has a true reason behind this project and I plan on supporting that reason. These people deserve our help and S.I. will be the ones to give it since no one else will."
Wade tapped Pepper on the shoulder and leaned in to whisper to her. "Its reveal time."
Pepper nodded and stood up from her chair. "Lady's and gentlemen, I'd like to introduce my co-founders of the Parker fun, Wade Wilson and Logan Howlett."
Wade looked over at Logan as they both stood up, Logan nodded and Wade took a deep breath.
"Hello everyone. I'll skip the pleasantries (because the author doesn't want to write all of that) and get straight to the point. I made this fund in honor of my partner, Peter Parker. Years ago you all would have known him as a kid from Queens. Some of you would know him better as...Spider-Man."
The press gasped. The Heros froze.
"No one knows Peter Parker. A certain sorcerer made sure of that. But I did....at least I thought I did. But he's gone now, and I'm the only one left to tell his story the right way."
The projector behind him flickered on with a picture of Peter on the beach smiling at Wade, who was behind the camera, as he held up the shell he'd found.
"Spider-Man died 6 months ago. 6 months ago, 24 year old Peter Parker died at the hands of The Rhino, a villain he'd been fighting for no more than 30 minutes." Wade changed the screen to Peter's freshman photo. "Peter Parker lost his first family when he was 8. Then he lost his second father figure at 14. He was 14 when he was bitten by the spider that gave him his powers. He was halfway till 15 when he joined his first battle alongside Tony Stark. Peter Parker was 15 about to be 16 when he died the first time. 5 years later he was brought back and lost the third person he saw as a father. He was 17 when his life was ruined by Quentin Beck, an ex S.I. employee who wanted control over Stark Tech. He revealed Peter's identity to the world and then died at his own hand. Peter was labeled a murderer and he and his friends were denied very much deserved places at M.I.T. Peter turned to Dr Strange for help. Peter Parker was still only 17 when the world forgot him. Permanently." Wade felt tears prick his eyes. Logan gave him a reassuring look across the stage. "I met Peter when he was 19. He'd been jumping from apartment to apartment and job to job trying to survive on his own. He knew which kitchens to go to and which to avoid, which gyms had worse security around the lockers. I had known who Spidey was and had found him quite interesting, even more so when I met him in person. No one, not even I, could resist the kind words he gave the world. He'd been torn down time and time again and he still held his hand out to me."
Logan whispered to him, "You don't have to keep going. You can stop here."
Wade shook his head and whispered back, "I have to keep going." He sighed. "Peter Parker was 20 when he took his mask off on purpose. He was 21 when we kissed. And he was 22 when we got unofficially married. It was on a rooftop with ring pops and way too much cake frosting that took way too long to wash off after." Wade chuckled. "Peter Parker was 23 when he told me he wanted to die. Peter never got what he wanted. But he flipped a coin against the universe and finally got what he wanted. Peter Parker was 24 when he died." Wade let the tears roll down his scarred cheeks. Logan took his hand, oddly gentle for how rough and rude he usually was.
"Peter's biggest fear was to be alone and forgotten. I didn't let him die alone. And I sure as he'll won't let him be forgotten again."