A/N: This is my first Marvel story... ever. And yes, this opening argument with Deadpool is true. I have no prior knowledge to any of this.

Deadpool: Why can't I interact with Spidey?

Author: First off, you do interact with Peter, just not intimately. Second, you have to broaden your horizons. You can't just fuck Spider-Man. There are thousands of stories about the two of you. Other guys out there would totally bang you.

DP: But how do I know your character isn't a total tool?

A: Okay, you know what? If you don't start behaving, I'll make you into your X-Men Origins counterpart and silence you for the entire story. How does that sound?

DP: *pouts* Just because you read one of my comics doesn't mean you can go around writing fanfiction like a fucking pro. You're doing this mostly on Wikipedia knowledge and other fanfiction.

A: I'm working on it!

"No. Absolutely not."

"Do you want to be an official Avenger or not? Honorary only gets you so far," Tony pointed out. Joel rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to retort, but he was cut off. "Look, kid, I know you're twenty-one, but you're the only one of us who still looks like a kid. You're the chance we have at this."

"Oh, that's so nice, especially since it's coming from you," Joel scoffed. "High school sucked enough the first time, the second time is bound to be worse." He looked around; the others were nodding in agreement with Tony's statement. "Steve!"

Steve swiveled in his revolving chair from his paperwork. "Tony, don't pressure the boy." Joel turned red at the term of endearment. "Joel, you remember how long it took for you to trust us when we took you in, right?" Joel nodded. "Well, think of this as us trusting you."

"It's not every day a teenage hust—" Clint looked up from sharpening his arrows when he was suddenly thrown over the countertop. Joel's arm was outstretched, having blasted him over.

"I thought we all swore to never talk about who I was before!" He shouted. Everyone else seemed unfazed by this outburst; most of them knew Joel was prone to shooting people at the slightest provocation, in this case, his past as a teenage prostitute.

Steve had gotten up from his chair and placed a comforting hand on the young man's shoulder. He always had the upper hand on everyone else in calming Joel down. In return, Joel kept Steve up to date on current events.

"I'm calm. Anyway, why can't you send either Pietro or Wanda? They still look young enough." Joel's gaze darted over to the Sokovian twins, both of whom seemed suddenly interested with Bruce's research. He threw up his hands in defeat. "Ugh, fine! But the second I'm official, you're following up on your promise that I can use your suit on the next mission." He glared at Tony and stormed to his room.

The students' eyes landed on the bright red Porsche that pulled into the Midtown High parking lot. The door opened to reveal a short boy with long brown hair, who stepped out, backpack slung over his shoulder. The whispers started up and the boy simply walked past everyone, not bothering to look at any of them. He was here for one reason only and it was the only thing he was going to get done.

"So I was telling Peter here that..." Harry Osborn was saying to Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane Watson with his best friend Peter Parker at his side when he suddenly trailed off. The new boy stood, watching them. "Uh, hi. Can we help you with something?"

"I'm new here and you four are the only ones who haven't looked at me weird, so I was wondering if maybe one—or all of you—could show me around a bit," the boy smiled. The four of them looked at each other and Harry approached the new arrival.

"You've come to the right place for a school tour. Name's Harry. That's Peter, Gwen, and MJ." He pointed to each of them in turn.

"Hey, guys! Who's the new kid?" Harry, Gwen, and MJ all groaned quietly. Peter lit up and high-fived the newcomer. "He doesn't look like much."

"And this is Wade." Peter was the one to introduce the hooded boy, whose face was obstructed by a large pair of sunglasses. "I know he looks older than us, but that's because..."

"Petey, he doesn't need to know everything yet," the boy named Wade admonished. "Cat got your tongue? What's your name?"

"Joel." Joel extended his hand. "Joel Richardson." Wade looked down at him as if he sensed something. Joel slowly lowered his hand and took a few steps back.

Peter nudged Wade in the ribs. "Wade, don't be rude," he hissed.

"There's something off about him," Wade murmured. Joel looked from Wade to Peter, Harry, and the girls, who only looked at him back.

"I'll, uh, find my own way," he said. "See you guys later. It was nice to meet you, Wade." Joel waved in departure and took off down the hall.

"Why do you think there's something off about him?" Peter looked at Wade, who glanced at him.

"Well, first off, he didn't run away screaming once he saw my face," Wade reasoned.

"That's because he couldn't see your face," Harry interjected. "Those ridiculous prop glasses are enough to keep most people occupied and not pay much attention to anything else." The bell rang and Harry and the girls departed for class, leaving Peter and Wade alone in the corridor.

"Petey?"

"Yeah, Wade?"

"Wanna ditch and go make out in a broom closet?"

A: You're twisting this to your own satisfaction!

DP: Well, you're not a very good writer.

A: One more insult like that and you're going to be fucking Scott Adkins! Now shut the hell up and let me write.

That night, Joel was on patrol, in his green-and-black spandex suit—complete with a crimson red ski mask. He sat atop a local convenience store, hoping that maybe a robber would try and hold the place up so he could prove his worthiness to the Avengers, who, he knew, saw him as nothing more than a kid with superpowers.

"The Incredible Mask, huh?" A voice called out. "What'd you do? Use an online superhero name generator?" Joel spun around quickly to find Deadpool sitting cross-legged on a turbine eating a taco.

"Deadpool." Joel returned his gaze forward, voice dripping with contempt.

"Not very welcoming to your friendly neighborhood Deadpool," the merc replied with a raised eyebrow. "Y'know, small fry, you remind me an awful lot of this kid I met earlier today."

Joel stiffened slightly but said nothing. He looked down to see a hooded man pointing a gun at the young man at the cash register and he sprung into action. Jumping to the pavement and landing swiftly on his feet, he ran inside and, knocking out the crook with one punch, handed the curly-haired kid the pillowcase full of money. The kid smiled gratefully and Joel dragged the man outside.

"So you're basically a smaller, scrawnier—if that were even possible—Spider-Man," Deadpool jeered. He leapt down to Joel and watched him closely.

"Fuck off, Wilson," Joel growled. Deadpool's identity was no big secret and even as a sort-of Avenger, Joel was very aware of the rest of the team's disdain for the mercenary.

"Ouch. Kitty's got claws." Wade whipped out a katana and moved towards the unconscious baddie, but Joel intercepted him and put a hand up.

"Put that away, you psycho. No one's decapitating anyone." Wade pouted slightly and sheathed his weapon of choice.

"You're no fun," he mumbled. "Why do superheroes these days have to be so damn gallant?" He sidled up to Joel, for once silent as he watched the smaller man fully incapacitate his charge. "Your ass looks mighty fine from here," he whispered. Joel flinched and the next thing he knew, Wade was on his back. "Damn, kid, you move quick."

Joel was breathing hard. "I know you have no brain-to-mouth filter, Wilson, but for once in your life, shut the fuck up." Spider-Man swung down behind him, causing the young mutant to flinch once more. "Goddamn it! Are you two teaming up on me or something?"

"We can double team you, sugar," Wade leered. Joel reddened and then, in a flash of light, disappeared. "C'mon! You can be in the middle!" He shook his head. "He was cute too."

Spidey cocked his head. "Why do you always scare them away?"

A/N2: Review please and tell me if I'm doing a horrible job. Constructive criticism if possible.