#one evacuated to stay with friends bc they feared to go outside and their baby couldnt sleep for all the noise

[painted-piggy-ships-archive]

Present Flame

Poe Dalke x Wade Wilson

Word Count: 891

Tag List: @heavenshipped @ghostlyvenus @the-schizotypal-cryptid @heartstringsymphonies

Summary: A follow up to “Future Flame,” in which Poe experiences enough paranoia to cause their powers to go haywire and burn up half the mansion. Luckily, Wade is called in to help out, though he’s not too happy with how Piotr dealt, or rather failed to deal in his eyes, with the situation.

Warnings: Anxiety/paranoia, fire, uh uncharacteristic incompetence on the X-Folks end mostly bc I wasn’t really sure how to write them trying to help Poe and because dramatic conflict between Wade and Poe’s found family.

Poe sat in a cell, deep below the mansion, though this confinement was in vain. They had not slept in days, and building anxiety had left them unable to communicate anything to their fellow X-Men, other than a vague cry for help that no one could respond to. It was only a matter of time before their prophetic dreams would become reality.

They glanced at a clock across the hall, outside of their cell, a single, clear thought crossing their mind, I don’t feel any different.

A sudden searing pain ripped through them, sending their body rigid for a moment as they burst into flames, blowing their cell wide open. All Poe could feel was agony and fear, a desperate, deep, animalistic fear. Something that compelled them to run. Destroying everything in their path, Poe became a beast of flame and ash and smoke, rising from the X-Mansion’s basement. Evacuation protocols were immediately put into action as others tried to gain control of the situation.

“Cornering them isn’t going to help,” Negasonic called out, noticing how her obviously stressed friend always darted in the opposite direction when confronted with a crowd.

“Somebody call Wade,” Piotr exclaimed in between directing students to proper exits.

“On it.”

~~~

Wade had been quiet for a long time once he arrived, unable to make his thoughts words upon seeing the destruction his partner could cause. Piotr cleared his throat,

“We were hoping you could talk to them. Try and calm them down.”

The mercenary shook himself, turning sharply on his heel, “you mean you didn’t even try to get through to them yourself?! What the hell’s even going on, nobody tells me jackshit anymore, apparently!” He threw up his hands exasperatedly and stalked toward the smoking mansion, ranting to himself incoherently, save for, “fine, they’re my partner, I’ll deal with it myself.”

Inside the crumbling building, Poe had retreated to the attic, holing themself up there, burying their head in massive paws. This monstrous form was similar to a wolf, in ways, but was too vague of a shape to be anything comprehensible. Wade climbed his way through the damage, pulling himself up into the smoldering room.

“Poe,” he called out softly. Their head lifted, the pointed ears pulling back as they backed further into the corner. “Nononono, it’s okay, it’s okay..! I’ll… just stay over here, then.” He plopped down on the floor beside the hatch to the lower floor, a cloud of ash poofing out from underneath him as he crossed his legs. The fiery eyes of Poe’s monstrous form watched Wade anxiously. He cleared his throat awkwardly, steepling his hands and leaning his elbows on his knees.

“I know this probably isn’t the best time, but this… destruction is actually really fucking hot, and I’m not talking about the fire,” he winked, though his lover did not react. He lowered his gaze, knowing he’d have to be serious for the moment… usually he hated that, but he needed to see Poe smile again. “I don’t know what caused this, but I’m here for you, baby. Not even sure if you’re understanding a word I’m saying right now. That’s okay.”

“...”

He sighed and frustratedly picked at the cuff of one of his gloves, “I just fucking wish they had tried to understand you… find anything that worked to keep you calm and distracted…”

“Not… their fault…” Poe’s voice came as a deep rasp, causing their boyfriend to meet their gaze once more, a relieved expression starting under his mask. He had got them talking, that’s good. He scooted slightly closer.

“Eh? Hey, don’t pin the blame on yourself, you’ve already gone through enough stress today.”

“I think someone’s out… to get me.”

Wade went rigid, and he shifted to his knees, shuffling even closer.

“Out to get you?? You mean, you think an outside source triggered this? I won’t hesitate to make someone’s life hell if they’re trying to Winter Soldier you or whatever, you know I won’t.”

Slowly, Poe’s form was reverting to a more human shape, though it went from wolf, to crow, and then human-like. Ashy feathers clinging to pale skin, Poe slumped forward, being caught in Wade’s muscular arms.

“Alright, I’ve got you, I’ve got you…” He murmured weakly as he held his boyfriend against his chest. Sure that the metaphorical storm was over, he slowly stood, snatching up a nearby blanket, though it was scorched like the rest of the area. He wrapped it around his partner and headed back downstairs, though once outside the mansion kept his distance from his friends.

“They think someone’s after them,” he began to explain, choosing his words carefully, “and since I know they can’t always communicate very well… I think they must’ve had some rising paranoia… and, fuck, it resulted in this.”

“We’ll look into it,” Piotr answered, watching Wade’s distance curiously, “thank you for coming. I knew-”

“Yeah, yeah, you knew I would provide comfort for Poe where you couldn’t,” then under his very irritated breath, “fucking incompetent good for nothing selfish X-Shits.”

Wade cleared his throat and adjusted his hold on Poe, “I’m taking them with me. Until they feel better and can make coherent decisions for themself.”

“That is fair.”

Wade threw Piotr the bird after calling his ride, and proceeded to rant to Dopinder throughout the way home.