#the one single flaw in that movie to me is Kenny repeating the 'behind you' joke. not only is it not funny the second time but it's—

[james-stark-the-writer]

started watching A Murder At The End of the World and i'm only like 4 minutes in rn but oh my fucking god, they already did the impossible, they made synthesizing a literal audience not only not annoying but actually intriguing and effective. holy shit.

[artimisphantomhive]

Mirror Image

My submission for the Spideypool Prompt Bang 2018 organized by @spideypoolfanfic. Two stories based in two alternate universes based on the two prompts seen below. The first AU is a random night soon after Wade gives up being a mercenary for Peter and the second is a random night soon after Peter becomes a mercenary for Wade.

                                                         Justice

Everyday, bad people who do terrible things, get away scott free.

Everyday, someone innocent is failed by a flawed system that allows that person who victimized them walk out and about in broad daylight.

“Why is it me, Petey?”

“Why wouldn’t it be you?”

“There are so many others out there who could do so much more for you.”

“I don’t want more. I want you. What’s going on, why are you-”

“But why?! Why are you settling for me?! Why do you want to be stuck with something like-”

“Hey!”

Gentle, but calloused hands gently caressed brutally scarred cheeks.

“I’m not settling for anything. I’m with you because I want to be with you. You, Wade. Not anybody else.”

Arms that made raw sausage look appetizing wrapped loosely around a smaller man’s slim waist.

“Look at me Petey...you don’t want me.”

“And since when did you start telling me what I do and don’t want?”

Everyday, men, women, and children in horrifying situations beg for salvation.

Some, have stopped even doing that much, totally without hope that they’ll ever be free of that situation.

“But...Petey look at you! You could have anyone you wanted. Anyone at all!”

“Wade Wilson do not make me repeat myself! I won’t sit here and listen to you beat yourself up like this! You’re beautiful, Wade. You’re funny, and creative, and-”

“-And a nutcase! A crazy freak who has the blood of thousands on his hands! Can you really tell me that you want to be with someone like that? That you feel safe with someone like that?”

“You aren’t that person anymore Wade. Please calm-”

Wade ripped himself out of Peter’s arms and climbed out of bed, pacing in front of it instead.

“You know something? I’m not even fucking sorry about it! I don’t feel a smidge of guilt over the bastards I killed!”

Everyday, someone powerful takes away from the powerless.

Everyday, someone pays for a mistake that isn’t even theirs.

“Wade-”

“They deserved it! Every single fucking one! You know who they were? Do you know who I killed?! Rapists! Murderers! Sex Traffickers, Drug Lords, Child Molesters, and Abusers! They got what was coming for them because I stepped up! I did what nobody else wanted to do and made them pay! I did the right thing!”

Peter stood up and hugged his boyfriend tightly, nuzzling his chest. Wade’s body trembled in the smaller man’s strong arms.

They stayed like that a little while. After a couple minutes, Wade laid his bald head down on top of Peter’s as his arms wrapped back around him. The larger man’s shoulders shook. Peter felt little droplets of salt water touch his scalp. He didn’t say anything about it, just held Wade tighter.

“They deserved it Petey. I...I made sure they couldn’t ever hurt anybody ever again. I saved people. I did the right thing…”

Wade’s already gravelly voice was much more wobbly than normal as he sniffled and tried to calm himself down enough to talk some more.

“I did the right thing so why...why won’t it stop? I can still see them...and hear them. All the time every day! It isn’t fair! They were hurting people I-I shouldn’t care...I stopped caring forever ago. Why the fuck are they coming back now?”

Everyday, all over the world, someone is hurting.

Everyday, all over the world, someone somewhere is suffering.

“Do you still hear the other voices too?”

Wade let out a shaky laugh as he reached up to wipe  his own eyes.

“Hear them? Yellow and White won’t ever shut up, which just makes it worse. They say shitty things all the time on top of the screams and begging. Yellow does say hi though, and that he loves you.”

“Well you tell him that I have nothing nice to say to him unless he starts being nice  to you. That goes double for White.”

Wade chuckled again.

“Baby-boy, I’m trying to wallow in my angsty pain over here. Quit making me laugh.”

Peter smiled up at Wade and pulled him down for a soft kiss.

“Never.”

When the kiss ended they stood where they were and rested their foreheads together, just soaking in each other's company.

“You know if we start a fire, the sprinklers will turn on and it’ll feel like it’s raining. We can be just like those romantic movies you like.”

Peter snorted out a short laugh.

“First of all, I’m almost positive that those sprinklers are too old to actually work. Second, even if they did I refuse to commit arson for the sake of a gimmick. Finally, I believe the one into those corny romances are you.”

“Yeah. Nothing says love like threatening to kill yourself if she doesn’t say yes.”

“The fact that I don’t know if you’re kidding or not scares me.”

“You should be afraid anyway.”

Peter frowned, “No. Not this again. I told you a million times now, I’m not going anywhere. Sure...quite a bit of your actions in the past were bad. I’m not saying they weren’t. Even with the best intentions, killing still isn’t the best way to handle things. But like I said, Big Guy, that isn’t you anymore. You’re learning, growing. Bettering yourself. You even quit killing.”

“Only cause you said that was the only way I’d be allowed to date you. And even then I’m pretty damn sure I’ve killed one or two people since then.”

“The road of recovery isn’t a straight line, Wade. There will be hiccups and fall backs. You aren’t taking contracts anymore, you killed those people while protecting me, which you’ve already been scolded for, and most importantly...you quit for me.You didn’t start back up behind my back or have sex and then leave me to start up again. You stayed. We patrol, you’re doing some really good things on patrol with me. Even Cap is taking notice. You’re improving, Wade, and I’m so proud of you for that.”

“But what about-”

Peter pulled him down for another kiss, wrapping his arms around his shoulders  this time and keeping him close. After a few moments he pulled back and cupped Wade’s face in his hands, looking him right in the eyes.

“I’m. Not. Going. Anywhere. Wade. Wilson. I don’t care what you look like. I don’t care about the mistakes you’ve made. You’re a human and you make mistakes just like the rest of us. The important thing is that you learn from them and you are. I love you. I want you. I choose you. No one else, no matter what anyone says. As long as you want me too, I’m here with you.”

Wade didn’t say anything after that. He just stared into Peter’s beautiful brown eyes, a part of him trying to find any lies hidden in them, but he already knew better. His Peter was so many wonderful things. A hero, a dork, a total nerd, a babe, and so much else...but Peter Parker wasn’t a liar. In truth, he sucked at it.

After a few minutes, Wade shook his head and pulled Peter in for one more kiss and sighed. “What the fuck did I do to deserve you, Baby-boy?”

Everyday, bad people who do terrible things, get away scott free.

Everyday, someone innocent is failed by a flawed system that allows that person who victimized them walk out and about in broad daylight.

Before you, I thought there was only one way to fix this. I thought that my easy answer was the only way that these bastards got what they deserved, but it never seemed like enough. Everytime I eliminated one, three more just like him needed killing.

I know now that there are no easy answers. I’ve tried it my way, and it didn’t seem to be doing a whole hell of a lot in the grander scope of things.

I used to think doing it your way was stupid. I’m still not sure how much I actually believe your way works but...I’ll try it for you. I’ll try things your way. Because if someone as good as you can do it like this...then perhaps it’s at the very least a better way to go about it than the way I was trying to do things.

A/N: This one comes with a bit of a warning since this AU deals with Merc!Spider-Man so there is a violent character death as well as the hinting of a woman being raped and killed off-screen. You have been warned!

                                                       Icarus

Everyday, bad people who do terrible things, get away scott free.

Everyday, someone innocent is failed by a flawed system that allows that person who victimized them walk out and about in broad daylight.

A man sprinted through the darkened streets of New York, hoping to lose his pursuer.

This night wasn’t supposed to be like this. The job wasn’t supposed to go so badly! He and the guys just got a little tipsy and wanted some easy fun! That was all! Just, just guys doing stupid guy things and making mistakes, right?!

She wasn’t supposed to fucking die on them like that! None of them really noticed at first when she stopped moving. They thought she was getting into it! They just wanted to make her stop screaming, the stupid bitch.

Then...then they showed up. One of them sniped Kenny right between the eyes. The other one, quick as lightning, zipped by with a knife and slit Lenny and Ben’s throats.

Terrence had just turned tail and run after that, not bothering to wait up for Josh or Stan. They were surely dead by now and he was next! He was sure of it!  He couldn’t hear the culprits but he could feel them!

Surely they were right on top of him by now. They had to be! Terrence wasn’t stupid enough to think he’d escaped them. As fast as that one was and as on target as the first on had been, they were bound to be close. They were just playing with him.Those sick fucks, that was totally what they were doing, wasn’t it?!

Adrenaline, anger, and perhaps some form of madness brought on by the fear that had taken hold of his mind fully took hold of his actions now. He moved from the sidewalk and sprinted down an alleyway. He then drew out a gun and pointed in the direction he had just come from.

“Alright you motherfuckers! I’m not playing this fucking game with you! Get out where I can fucking see you!”

Everyday, men, women, and children in horrifying situations beg for salvation.

Some, have stopped even doing that much, totally without hope that they’ll ever be free of that situation.

A chuckle echoed through the dark alleyway and seemed to surround terrence.

“Did you hear that, Pool? This guy thinks he’s allowed to make demands.”

A flash of red and black swung above him, but before Terrence could shoot at whatever it was, a bullet went through hand holding the gun.

The man cried out in anguish, and dropped his weapon. He let out a pathetic whimper as he cradled the bleeding limb close.

“You...you shot me...You fucking shot me!”

Terrence fell to his ass and scrambled back, looking all around him wildly. With his back to the wall, he curled into a ball and trembled in place.

“What? That? That’s nothing compared to what you bastards did to that woman,” A new and much more gravelly voice growled in the dark.

Terrence paled and shook his head, “No that...that was an accident! We didn’t-we didn’t mean for her to...she wouldn’t shut up!”

A silvery web stuck to his foot and suddenly Terrence was pulled up by his leg and left dangling upside-down with a frightened cry,

“You actually think that justifies it, don’t you?” The first voice spat in utter disgust. “You truly believe that what you and your buddies did to her was okay, don’t you?”

Everyday, someone powerful takes away from the powerless.

Everyday, someone pays for a mistake that isn’t even theirs.

Spiderman, the hero gone rogue, dropped before him and shot Terrence in his shoulder, “Don’t you, you fucking piece of shit?!

The man cried out in agony as he felt the blood trickle down along his neck and dangling arm. By now his was sobbing in agony and terror.

“No! No, please! I’m sah-I’m sorry! I’ll never do it again! Please!”

The black eye’s of  Spiderman’s mask narrowed to a piercing glare and he hissed viciously.

“Damn right you won’t.”

He then lifted his hand to the man’s head and the gun that he kept in the wrist of his suit went off. The bullet took nearly half the man’s head with it, and some blood and flesh and other goop splashed onto Spidey’s suit.

A whistle echoed through the alley and Deadpool jumped down the fire escape he’d been perched on to watch the show. The cheery smile was evident, even from behind his mask as he walked over to stand beside his boyfriend.

“You’re getting better baby-boy! Better and better ever-ugh!”

Deadpool suddenly recoiled away and pointed at Spiderman’s shoulder.

“Uh darling? Sweety? Dearest? You have...you got a little um...just uh...just a bit of-”

Deadpool made snickering sounds from behind his mask and had to look away a few times to keep from hysterical laughter.

Spiderman cocked a brow and looked down at his shoulder to wee a bit of dripping bloody brain matter there. His eyes widened in shock then his face quickly changed to annoyance.

“Again?! Oh come on!”

He flicked it off and did the same to the other little bits of that disgusting human that were still on him.

“Ew, ew, ew! Ugh this is just fucking nasty!”

Wade wrapped an arm around Peter’s shoulder and pulled him close, “Hey, come on baby-boy, it’s just all part of the experience is all! Fishermen have to smell like fish, strippers get glitter in all their nooks and crannies, and we get blood spatter and brain matter! All part of the gig!”

Peter rolled his eyes and groaned, “Why the hell am I with you again?”

“Because I’m incredibly likable, and charming, and funny. I look great in a dress, and have over ten followers on Tumblr?”

Peter laughed and turned to face Wade, wrapping his arms around his shoulders, “Well, I do like me a man who is swimming in Tumblr fame.”

Deadpool slid his hands down to Peter’s waist and slowly slid them to grip his bubbly ass.

“How many followers would I have to say I had in order to get invited to the spider den tonight?”

Peter giggled and leaned in close, murmuring against his lips, “Perhaps More than ten is a good enough number...if you can beat me home.”

He shot a web out and pulled himself out of Deadpool’s arms, blowing a kiss as he swung away.

Deadpool stared after him in wide-eyed shock, jaw on the ground. He quickly snapped out of it and ran after him shouting, “Hey! No fair! You got a head start you asshole!”

And then the alley was silent again. The sound of drops of blood joining the puddle forming on the ground, the body with only half a head and the webbing that proudly held that body up for all the world to see were the only signs that anything had happened at all.

Everyday, all over the world, someone is hurting.

Everyday, all over the world, someone somewhere is suffering.

At around 3:30 in the morning Wade woke up to the sound of sobbing. He turned around in the bed he and Peter shared and pulled his partner in close, hugging his trembling naked body flush against his own.

Peter’s quiet sobbing halted with a momentary gasp before he relaxed against Wade’s warmth. After a moment he turned around and buried his face between the crook Wade’s neck and shoulder. Wade ran his arm soothingly up and down Peter’s back, letting him cry it out. He’d been there before, the least he could do was be there for the one he brought into all this.

“I’m here baby-boy, I’m here. Talk to me. What is it? Are you...were you shaken by the brain thing from before or-?”

Peter viciously shook his head  and pulled back to look up at Wade, “Of course not! I don’t give a damn about that stupid...fucking...shit-for-brains, sleazy fucking...ugh!”

Peter furiously wiped at his eyes and curled in tighter to Wade.

“No I...I don't feel bad about what we did to him it’s just...We didn’t get there in time, Wade. We couldn’t...we couldn’t save her. If we’d passed that way just a bit sooner...gotten our hit taken care of just a little faster o-or even waited until tomorrow to collect the money we might’ve-”

He choked on a sob and Wade hugged him tighter to his scarred chest.

“Shhh, don’t say that, Petey. You can’t think like that.”

“She must have been so...so scared! She had to have died so scared and so fucking alone and all because...because we weren’t fast enough!”

“We weren’t the ones who did that to her, baby-boy. We took care of the creeps that did it. We gottem. Every last one and now none of them are ever going to hurt anyone else ever again.”

He kissed the top of Peter’s head as gently as his rough lips could manage and nuzzled him sweetly.

“You can’t blame yourself Pete, we couldn’t have known. It isn’t your fault.”

But Peter still cried. He cried well into the morning over the life he couldn’t save until he passed out in Wade’s arms.

Everyday, bad people who do terrible things, get away scott free.

Everyday, someone innocent is failed by a flawed system that allows that person who victimized them walk out and about in broad daylight.

Before you, I thought there was only one way to fix this. I thought that my easy answer was the only way that these bastards got what they deserved, but it never seemed like enough. Everytime I handed one to the cops, three more just like him needed to be caught, only for the bastard to break out and need to be caught again on top of all that!

I know now that there are no easy answers. I’ve tried it my way, and it didn’t seem to be doing a whole hell of a lot in the grander scope of things.

I used to think doing it your way was stupid. I’m still not sure how much I actually believe your way works but...I’ll try it for you. I’ll try things your way. Because if someone as sweet as you can do it like this...then perhaps it’s at the very least a better way to go about it than the way I was trying to do things.