what_fourth_wall | Harlem Shakedown (Taaag Nore!)

Deadpool checked his entire loadout on his body a third time, taking inventory. He was armed to the teeth. Literally. He'd put in his most blinged out razor grill so that he could chomp some bastards if necessary. The top teeth said "DEAD" and the bottom ones said "YEEEAAAAAH". Don't judge. He got a deal on it because L'il Jon was upgrading his, and that was during a bad month of merc work. It was either have it that way instead of "POOL" or no way at all. He kept meaning to get the "POOL" half, but kept putting it off for this or that reason. This month it had been about the extra ammunition for this job. After all, it wasn't every day that you went to rob your girlfriend.

(She said she wasn't a girlfriend yet.)

Oh yeah. Well, the woman you were dating. Either way, this was going to get really ugly, and he wanted to be absolutely prepared. Everything was going to have to run just perfectly, because her life was on the line. She didn't fully realize it, but he figured she'd gotten some of the hint when he'd told her during their date to be sure she held a lot of her resources back instead of sending them at him. It had to be enough to look good and to make it seem like she wasn't holding enough back, even though anyone actually watching would know she wasn't trying to rip apart her red knight for real.

"Alright, deep breath." He took a deep breath. "Here we go."

Without further ado, he teleported to her lab. His first stop was her sound system, which he plugged his iPod into and started up the Harlem Shake. Why? Well, because what better way to have her lab see him as a threat? Seriously. He was doing the effing Harlem Shake there. He kind of deserved to be mauled. But!!! Not until the drop in the beat! If he was mauled before the drop in the beat, he'd be kind of ticked off. Surely he'd have about thirty seconds to just break it down with his funky dance moves, though. He teleported out into an open space and started doing just that right as the song started.

Once he was sure he had the attention of everything in her lab, the beat dropped and things did swing into motion. It was time to find his lady love and gank exactly the shit she wanted him to gank. And then maybe steal a kiss too, for good measure. But first he'd have to deal with what her lab was throwing at him.

"SHOW ME YOUR FUNKY FUNKY DANCE MOVES, LAB PLANTS/CREATURES/AND VARIOUS EQUIPMENT THAT MIGHT BE QUASI-SENTIENT, HEY YOU NEVER KNOW!!!" He fired his guns off. He had to look like he was trying to look like he wasn't faking it. Fortunately for him, chaos came quite naturally. She would later notice, however, that he did no more than wing any living thing that came after him. What was more -- he hadn't even brought a flamethrower. That was love, right there.

"TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER, WHO I ASSUME BUT IN NO WAY KNOW IS KIND OF HOT!!! I'M ONLY HERE FOR ONE THING!! I DON'T NEED TO DESTROY MORE THAN IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY!!! I DON'T WANT TO KILL MORE...oh jesus, what is that thing..." And that was about when he screamed like a little girl.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

what_fourth_wall

"That guy is such an asshole!!" He is legitimately angry as he swears. "I keep trying to be his friend, but every time...every damn time..." He sighs. "Oh well. At least you're going to have a rep for really working him over. And people will know not to hire me to play patsy any more." Flicks some brain off of forearm. "That's just degrading. When did people start thinking that it was even okay to go along with a plan that has me as the patsy?"

It's all good distraction to think about Taskmaster and her success in fending him off. He didn't know if she realized just how much that would enhance her reputation. Taskmaster wasn't exactly small fry. Yeah, he wasn't a first stringer, but he was a pretty solid second stringer, and he'd taken on an entire team of Avengers before. The fact that Nore had beaten him without even lifting a finger would get around, worsening his reputation and enhancing hers. He'd make sure of it.

But he couldn't escape one final apology forever. She was okay with the word, at least in that moment, and even with him blowing up a section of her lab. That stuff was pretty easy. He wasn't stupid, though. (Well, in many things. He does, however, seem to miss that she didn't actually say "good word in the moment". She just said "Good word") Today had shown a side of him that she hadn't seen before, and he didn't know what it would mean.

"I'm sorry for freaking out. I...it just..." He shuddered and held onto her. It was hard to put into words. Just thinking about where it took him paralyzed his mind with fear again. Finally, he was able to murmur into her shoulder, "Sorry. I'm kinda messed up in the head."

From:

hostile_experience

She reaches up and runs some of her hands along his cheek. "Well, he will either die in crippling, undignified, agony, or he'll have to be nursed through that and humiliated by the process. If he survives, the chances of him not losing at least several feet of his intestines is very small. So, take comfort in that." She shakes her head. "As for trying to make you his patsy, he was an idiot to even try."

Her limited response is the result of this not being her first rodeo. The people she dealt with just tended not to be the costumed types. Having a reputation among the other would be a comfort, especially if she continued to keep Wade around. Which still seemed likely, despite the chaotic rebuilding going on.

Her fingers continue to sweep over his cheek. "You got set on fire. It's supposed to be deeply upsetting or I wouldn't have cultured them. I'm just sorry he found out."

[[

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From:

what_fourth_wall

"That is strangely comforting. I don't trust him to die, though. Guys like him, even without healing factors, somehow manage to keep coming back for more."

Her presence is all the comfort he needs. What was interesting was that he had been burned by her defenses in her lab, but there wasn't even a tiny part of him that blamed her. Most people would never realize it, could never realize it, but Wade was an individual that took far more responsibility for himself and his own actions than even many heroes did. It wasn't self-blaming, not exactly. He just knew that he was dangerously unstable, insane, psychotic, and incredibly destructive. He never denied any of that. This character trait went beyond his days as Deadpool, however. He had always been one to do that. It didn't mean that he'd let himself be caught and go to jail for it, though.

"I know. I know. It's...a good trap." Deadpool shakes his head a little with a small smile under his mask - the only thing he was still wearing aside from all of his weapons. "He found out that I don't like fire. But that isn't exactly true. It's not the whole truth, anyway." He paused. "But this also means that people know about us now. I told you that people were less likely to go after you because of me than they would be because of a normal hero, but before our second date someone proved me wrong." He frowns. "The question is, will anybody else be that stupid. Because you proved me right - our response isn't as predictable as a super hero's. But they might still come. Are you okay with that? I'd..." He took deep breath and steeled himself to face a possibility that he really didn't want to face - the very possibility that had driven the reaction to the fire. "I'd understand if...after all this...and with that possibility...if..." He sighs. "If you told me to get lost."

From:

hostile_experience

"If he doesn't die, he'll live in discomfort and medical care for the rest of his life. It seems...appropriate."

Eventually she'll have to help him clean up. But right now? Holding onto him and soothing him was enough. For much the same reasons he didn't blame her, she didn't blame herself. Her defenses had been greatly curtailed, and he had asked for a believable display. If it had been worse, she would have done what she could to fix him, but as it was? This was just their lives.

"There are always people trying to kill me. At this point, breaking up with you won't stop them from coming. It just means you won't be as likely to be around when they come. So cut out the drama. You're not being booted"

From:

what_fourth_wall

"Heh..." Deadpool chuckled, then pulled off his mask. Yeah, his face was still somewhat burned, but she'd seen it both ways. Also, the time for being Deadpool was over. He was with her, in her lab. "Well, he might've learned something about me and fire, but I know where to kick him next time he pisses me off."

Wade was nodding as she spoke. People trying to kill Nore was not something that many people saw, mostly because she tended to keep it very quiet and neatly wrapped up. This was the first time he had seen her in danger, and it was because of one of his associates. That said a lot. Of course, when she called him out for the drama, he looked appropriately chastised, although he did have to laugh at himself, just a little.

"Sorry. I go there sometimes. Good thing you can drag me back by my collar. It really isn't a place anyone wants me to be."

(I think we just wanted to use the icon.)

"It is a nifty icon with the potential to be vastly underused by me. Mostly because it's..." He realizes that he's going where she can't follow again, and trails off. "Never mind. You know, there was a group that kidnapped your younger AU self a while back. You should be careful...they probably don't respect me as much as they fear Thor, and if they know about an older, wiser version of Ele...you know what? Don't worry about it. I'll hunt them down and exterminate them for you. You don't need that. By the way, did you ever perfect that murder kitten formula? Or was it murder bunnies..." He ponders. You can tell he's getting better by the second because of how quickly his mind is jumping from one random thing to the other.

"P.S. Just so you know, I'd still be around if you broke up with me. If you wanted me to be, at least. Pretty much, you're safer because of me no matter what. Although, to be honest, the only punches I landed on Tasky were the ones I wanted to land because he deserved them. All I did other than that was delay him long enough for the virus to start showing symptoms..."

From:

hostile_experience

She nuzzles his cheek just a little bit when he pulls the mask off, careful to stick to the patches that weren't quite as roasted as the others. "Kicking someone's ass has never been a more appropriate response."

She smiles a little bit at his laughter and hint of ruefulness. "It wouldn't be me if I didn't bring you back from that particular edge. I'll keep doing it you seem to be dangling too much."

The wandering is clearly a side effect of the burning and the weird way his mind works, so she lets it go as he finds himself again. "If they only recently made a move on her, there's every chance they've already moved against me. It's a different dynamic, even without Thor. Murderkittens?"

She meets his eyes. "I get that you'd still be there for me. You were very clear with it. But you wouldn't exactly be spending the night or vice versa anywhere near as often."

From:

what_fourth_wall

The nuzzling makes him smile and lean into her more. Despite not being one to forge deep connections with people, she was really very good at all this. What was more, she was good with one of the more difficult people to be good with out there. He appreciated it - but he figured that he probably didn't have to tell her that. She probably knew.

"Exactly. And if I know Tasky, he's not going to tell anyone else about what he thinks he learned about me unless he can sell it for a lot of money. And even then, he'd want to keep a way to look good to himself. But now he can't use that way because I have similar information on him."

He nods. "You don't do drama. I like that."

His eyes widen as she mentions that they could already have moved against her. "Do you mean...you could have already dealt with them? Damn, if you wiped out the people who gave her such a hard time...that really is some kind of crazy cosmic justice. You got her revenge!" He gestures. "You know...I wanted kittens that could fart poisonous gas so I could send them to people as a kind of signature kill tactic. Ele was going to try to make them, but you brought up all the logical difficulties. But you still said it could be doable! I think."

Her tone on the last comment draws his eyes to hers, and there is no way to deny the logic. There usually isn't, because she does not mince words. "Oh..yeah. Point." The 'girlfriend' thing comes back around to hit him in the back of the head, and his eyes widen. "Wait...you...said 'girlfriend' is a good word. And now you say we'll be spending many nights together. Does that mean...?"

From:

hostile_experience

She gives him a gentle squeeze when he leans in. This part was easy. Not emotionally draining. If she hits the emotional moment, they'll end up with something different. She enjoys the time with him.

"That, and there isn't a place in this city a sufficiently determined rat can't get into. If he survives, I'll make sure he gets a reminder of that." The social creatures she's bred for more than a decade will enjoy taking the revenge in a basic animal way.

She wrinkles her nose with a little smile. "I think that people would be surprised to hear that, in a way."

The shifting time throws her a little bit on some level, if only because it annoys her. "Not exactly the same organization, but the one that existed in my timeline/reality. Perhaps kidnapping her was their justice." The alternate timelines definitely give her a headache. "Sounds like something I might be willing to try in my early years."

From:

what_fourth_wall

Okay, imagining the Taskmaster developing a paranoia complex because of Nore just brightens his entire day. If he hadn't had a date with her earlier in the week, it would brighten the whole week. He has to laugh at the thought. It only made too much sense, if one thought about it. The one person that could ultimately strike real terror into the Taskmaster's heart would just have to be Deadpool's girlfriend. It would just have to be.

"Oh oh!!! Don't just stop with one reminder!! You've gotta have them randomly go after him, maybe one this week, one next week, then wait a month, and then one a day for five days in a row, and then nothing for a while, and then another..." He looks positively gleeful as he pictures Tasky developing a complex about rats.

He doesn't go so far into his own imaginings that he misses the cute little smile. It was too adorable to miss, actually. There was no physical way to miss it. "I know there are. But they won't ever know my life with you, not too much. And that's fine by me."

For once the discussions of alternate timelines was kind of getting to him too. Maybe she was rubbing off on him. Or maybe he was becoming anchored in her timeline. Now there was a thought. "Oh...huh. I didn't think of it that way. Man, that'd be crazy. Well, as long as they're not still after you. I swear, if shadowy ninja assassin kidnappers interrupt my dreams of cupcakes, lots and lots of cupcakes, I will just go Wayne Brady on some bitches." He pauses, then shrugs. "He's a tougher guy than people give him credit for."

From:

hostile_experience

"All it take is one or two, and every little flash of light or hint of movement will scare the crap out of him. Everyone will be shocked by his sudden paranoia. Then one day, it'll actually be one of my rats again. Oh, five years down the line when he starts to feel safe again." Because he killed her rats, and that's just a stupid thing to do.

"Enjoying having a little something you don't have to share with the rest of the world? I know it's part of how I've managed to stay relatively sane." She enjoys that he seems to be developing an appreciation for this.

"I get the Chappele Show reference, and I'm glad. Personally I've had more than enough of a fight for the moment."

From:

what_fourth_wall

"Is it too early to say that I love you? No, it is not. Do you want to know why it is not? Because that statement, right there, would make me say I love you no matter what stage our relationship is in. If you had just walked up to me on the street after doing that to Tasky, and I barely knew you, I would kiss you on the mouth and tell you that I loved you." Thinks for a moment. "In this scenario, acquaintance-you is making out better than girlfriend-you. I should fix this, but I'm kind of burninated and bloody and gross. This presents a real dilemma, because that's not fair. You really should expect to get more out of me than acquaintance-you."

He looked about himself with a frown. The leather bindings and holsters of his weapons were intact, but scorched an partially melted. The rest was nude, but so very gross. Half of it was on her now from the hug. Honestly, he was feeling a little bad about that, but she seemed to not care at all, so he could put it aside. He did not, however, want to kiss her with any chance of exchanging grossness. Nope nope nope. Who knew where the men hired to take him out had been? What they were carrying? Mneh. Yeah, that's right. Mneh can be a thought, too.

"I really am. It's nice." He quirks a grin. "I love how you keep up with my pop culture jabs." He nods. "I will do everything I can to keep the fight from getting to you. But when it does, I will always be the one to end it. As long as you don't mind me making a mess."

From:

hostile_experience

Give her a minute to process. He just said he loved her and this kid of thing doesn't happen every day. Even if people have been trying to convince her she's loveable lately. "Acquaintance me wouldn't know why you were kissing me and would probably be pissed. Me-me is having a bit of an issue dealing in general, but is still glad you're here. So, I'm going to have to disagree with you on that one. Though, maybe you could use a shower."

That's when she takes his hand and starts to lead him through the now benign lab toward one of the decontamination areas. At least nothing looks like its going to hurt him. Everything moves to give Nore room.

"I don't mind messes. As long as everyone is a live, we can clean it up. Pretty much as a rule. So, don't worry."

From:

what_fourth_wall

"Yeah. I could see that. No version of you takes any kind of shit, and that would be me giving you some shit. Oh the glare you'd give me...especially since you're already sorta kinda working on being taken by me. That asshole would be trying to cut in on my date. I'd have to kick his ass."

He takes her hand and walks, just kind of admiring what was once so deadly. He'd wanted to see its deadly side, and he'd gotten quite a bit of it. She was almost like Poison Ivy, only better and with animals. Also, she wasn't crazy. That was an important part. Poison Ivy would be hating him for not being a plant right now. Or..perhaps he would be part plant because of her treatment. Huh. But nope. Besides, if he was a DC character, everyone knew that he'd so totally get paired up with Harley Quinn. It was just obvious. And Tumblr pointed it out repeatedly.

"I'm sorry if this all made it hard to deal." He frowns, most likely missing her point. "I will always be alive, you can count on that." Of course, he doesn't look as happy as he should when he says it. Suddenly, his gaze is just kind of faraway. He lapses into an uncharacteristic silence as they continue to walk.

From:

hostile_experience

"Are you getting in a territory fight with a hypothetical version of yourself? Because I'd almost want to see that, but then we'd never get you the fun kind of naked."

The less than deadly animals and plants are already moving out to the places where they had previously evacuated. There's always the chance of another attack, but that was what tertiary defenses are for. She wants a little time focusing on her not exactly boyfriend.

She punches him in the shoulder with her free hand. "Stop it. Moping is not allowed when you're naked and about to go in my shower. You should be hitting on me and trying to get me to follow you in. Not looking like I'm freaked out about this."

From:

what_fourth_wall

Wade narrows his eyes, doing a pretty good Fry internet meme impression. "Not sure if hypothetical me is the competition, or just has similar good taste."

When you are doing impressions of memes, you know that the Internet has come full circle. When you are in fact a roleplayed character on the Internet, it becomes even more interesting. For the second time that day, though, that realization makes his head hurt a little. It really is kind of weird, and he doesn't quite know what to make of that. Oh well.

"Hmn?" He glances at her. "Oh! Sorry...wait, you? Freaked out? You aren't, are you? I hope not, because you are so about to have a wet T-shirt." Without giving her time to argue, his face lights up with a manic grin and he pulls her along to the shower, which he jumps in and hits the button to start the water. "Ain't no trying about it, hot stuff."

From:

hostile_experience

"Well, I'm good enough to pick out you as the one I want." And she's daring him to argue, and ignoring the fact he reminded her of Futurama for some reason. Must be the after effects of this whole business.

She'd be so much more annoyed if she weren't, you know, disgusting from hugging him and in need of cleaning. Plus he wasn't pouting anymore."I'm not freaked out, though you definitely owe me after that one."

From:

what_fourth_wall

"Real me is hotter than hypothetical me. Hypothetical me hasn't been fixed by hypothetical you. They barely know one another. It's kind of tragic."

This narrative department would like to contend that she'd be so much more annoyed if it were anyone but him, but we'll keep that in narration because pointing it out would undermine all of his attempts to just be happy with her without her having to think about it too much. Fortunately, his pouts were always short-lived -- although the thought of outliving her may weigh more and more heavily on him as time goes on if they continue to be so happy together. He isn't willing to give up the superpower that allows him to better protect her when and if she needs it (although she's damn good at that herself), but he does want it gone if he ever gets anything approaching normal with her. The two goals are not exactly compatible, and when they clash, he does become distant. But only briefly, for now. They don't even have a title for what they really are to one another yet - they're still in that fun, ambiguous figuring it out phase.

He's already sudsing up with his back to her. "Yeah, when you say you love someone, no matter how you mean it, you better damn well be willing to back that shit up!" It's his only indication thus far that he actually knows exactly what she's dealing with, even as he plays it off as being no biggie. Every now and then, he seems to let out one line or one hint that he actually has far more insight than the lets on. But his back is to her, so she can have some privacy if it throws her for the briefest of seconds.

From:

hostile_experience

"Real you is hotter because you've earned my trust and affection over time. It would still be there even if you were the one with your old face."

The pouting being short lived does help considerably. That and the fact he bar for normality is a bit more forgiving that Deadpool would guess. She's been known to date and be involved with non-humans more frequently than humans. She'll give him space if he needs it, at least as long as it doesn't go too far.

She reaches around his front to get some of the soap and starts scrubbing his back to get the crap of. It's nice to run her hands over his clean skin and think without seeing his face. "You've been willing and able to back up pretty much everything you've said to me."

From:

what_fourth_wall

"I know. I think I trust you more because of that, believe it or not."

There are days that having a brain that leaps from thing to thing like a hyperactive squirrel works in his favor! Although he has been known to go through funks. However, she probably won't see as many of those because, well, of her. The closest he came was when he decided to give up friends with benefits, but he ultimately decided that he wouldn't. For once, he actually was able to decide his own mood. It was nice.

He folds his arms agains the wall and leans his head against it to make his back easier to scrub at. She can't see it, but he smiles. Maybe she can hear it in his voice. "I say a lot of things. But when I say things to you, like really say them, well, I only say what I can back up. I don't ever want to disappoint you. I might piss you off, annoy the shit out of you, and hey, we might have those fights you talked about, but the day I disappoint you is the day I..." He trails off. "I dunno. It's a really bad day that I don't want to think about. So I won't do it."

From:

hostile_experience

"I believe it. Sometimes it's better to be wanted for who you are."

She takes her time, feeling the muscle under his no longer damaged skin. He's warm and she thinks about taking off her clothing even as she doesn't want to move away. Not while he's talking to her. "You're doing a very good job of not disappointing me so far. You've made me happy. Even when you attack my lab."

From:

what_fourth_wall

"Yeah, sometimes." He smiles a little. "And with anyone else, there'd be the fear that they'd run in the other direction if I relapsed. With you...not so much. Trust me hot stuff, if I do...and you're still around...I'm really, really going to need you." Pause, then his smile widens. "For who you are."

As she works at his back, he slowly undoes a clasp here and there, letting weapons fall to the ground to be kicked away. Now that everything is over, they kind of chafe - especially under the water. He isn't worried about the water messing them up, either - the acid and the fire damaged them enough that he'll just replace them. They still work, but that doesn't mean he wants to be out there with messed up looking weapons.

"I have?" He laughs a little at himself "Dumb question I guess. You definitely seem happier in general. And that makes me happy. It's been the goal from the beginning, you know." He's quiet for a few moments. "Did you notice that the only time I caused any real damage was when I was lost it for a bit?"

From:

hostile_experience

If his back wasn't sudsy, she'd press her cheek to his skin when he mentions the possibility of a relapse. "When and if that should ever happen, I'll be here to make sure it's a bump in the road rather than a permanent thing. This is personal. For a few reasons."

It's easier to get his skin clean after he gets rid of the weapons and leather rigging. Which she'd say something about replacing, but really? They seem past that at the moment. Or maybe she's just having a mild reaction to the remaining virus in the air.

"Not dumb question. It clearly matters to you." She keeps working, careful around the wounds that still look a little sluggish to return to normal. "After the fire? Yes, I did." She doesn't mention any pulled punches. People not knowing the exact details is a part of her life, after all.

From:

what_fourth_wall

He stares at the sudsy water as it splashes down to the tile, his head still resting on his arms. Her work in cleaning his back actually feels really good, like a kind of mild massage. Part of him wonders if her decontamination showers have some sort of light drug or chemical in them that helps. Or maybe it's just nice to not be the one cleaning his own wounds for a change.

"I'm like a signed piece of your art." That brings a proud little smirk to his features. "Thanks, hot stuff. Although I know me, so I'll just give you this heads up - be prepared for me to freak out, even if I have faith in your abilities. A relapse would be proof to me in that moment that I just can't escape the cancer or the fugly or any of it. Aside from needing it for my kind of lifestyle and for helping you, it's the reason I'd be hesitant to ask you to get rid of the healing factor eventually." He sighs a little. "Cancer's in the genes, I guess."

It's only the third time he's actually brought up wanting the healing factor gone, and the first since they'd started to try anything serious. She's smart enough to remember why, or infer it from what he hasn't told her. Spelling it out isn't exactly in either of their natures, at least not yet, and it would require confronting the idea that this could really be heading to a more serious place than just dating. He knows that she isn't comfortable yet going so far down that road -- just getting on the road had been a big leap for her -- but...the hints of what he's considered might serve to make her happy without her having to think about the 'why' too much.

"It does." She's careful enough, and he has a high enough pain threshold by this point, that he doesn't even twitch or hiss when she is close to the deeper wounds. Actually, he reaches around, winces into the wall, and picks out a bullet that lodged itself deeper in there and never came out. Then he turns around and pulls her into his arms and kisses her, wet shirt against his bare chest. He's clean enough now that being gross isn't a concern any more.

"May not be a date," he murmurs, "But I've gone a whole afternoon with you without that. Suddenly didn't feel right."

From:

hostile_experience

She shakes her head, not that he can see it, when he mentions that he's a signed bit of art. "The point is not to leave any signature with you. Just to leave you behind without the mess they left. Which leads into you and that panic reaction. You learning a little faith in my ability is bound to take time. Especially after the length of their abandonment. Because cancer isn't in your genes. Not like it was, and never again."

She misses his comment about lack of healing ability in the future. It's too far to think right now, even if this was a bonding experience. She will be slow to change in certain ways. She's had enough time to get set in certain ways not to give over the way he's temporarily convincing. It's obvious Wade is good at the big gestures, but she needs to see if he can manage to have endurance before she buys the things he wants to say. 'Boyfriend' still feels a bit premature to her most pragmatic instincts.

Even when it hurts to see him get the bullet of his wound and the others fight to heal. It's better when he distracts her by pulling her close. Thanks to her own clothes, she feels more of his chest than anything, but that helps make it feel safe as he pulls her in for the kiss where she melts against him.

"Well, I'm not complaining. You're already almost clean. That's good enough for me."

From:

what_fourth_wall

Wade sighs a little. "I dunno. They say cancer can be genetic, in the DNA or something. I dunno. But I guess the panic does kind of undermine the whole 'got faith in your ability' thing. That's just me, though. I've got issues, I guess. But you knew I was pretty broken. I think...I just was faced with the prospect of losing whatever chance at 'normal' I have with you, or in general, and...it drove me crazy."

That was about the truth of it, actually. He knew that she didn't care too much if he looked good or if he looked like a tragic burn victim. While that had definitely factored into his overreaction, that wasn't the true core of it. If he was honest with himself, and for once he was - and he was even pretty honest about it out loud without swamping it in insane ramblings - he felt that to backslide to Fugly was to lose everything and start back at square one. He couldn't be normal and just be Deadpool. He wanted to have a real Wade Wilson in there somewhere too, and for the moment that was still tied up with his face. He'd lost his looks once from burning, and he'd been reset to square one once by the death of a wife. That latter wasn't something he talked about terribly often, and not something he'd be likely to bring up around Nore unless she asked because aawwwkwaaard. Either way, both had left him with a deep seated fear that he could never really change his life in meaningful ways, at least not for long.

"Almost. Got some stuff on my chest to work through, but that's easy enough." He just holds her against him as the water pours down, having faith that she didn't have to worry too much about the hot water running out in her lab. She probably had a really cool solar setup for that or something. "Would you like to go out on another date with me, Miss Evans?" Because, really, he hadn't officially asked her on another yet. More technically still, he hadn't asked her one one period, because she had asked last time.