Miss Romanova had prepared a list of questions for Wade, giving him a literal quiz for him to fill out since he “seemed to not like socializing”.
Wade hadn’t been exactly in the mood to fill out dumb quizzes but he figured since Peter wasn’t in and he had spent the whole time sobbing, nearly drowning in his snot and tears, he could use some distraction.
The paper had some simple questions of what he would be comfortable and uncomfortable with.
“Would you like to participate in group activities such as: Sport classes, creative time…?” read one of the questions giving him boxes to tick and. line to fill out in his answer was anything but:
Yes
No
Yes but with an aide
Yes but not always
Now, Wade had enjoyed the last physical activity and would love to use the gym sometime just as used to do before he was trapped in white walls… he would hate to be surrounded by others and be without Peter.
So he wrote just that.
“You over-dependant bastard” Yellow clicked his tongue in disappointment at him and Wade nodded- he was clingy.
Filling up the questionnaire with similar answers, he kept himself busy until the familiar knocking on the door was heard.
“crap- hide” White commanded, embarrassed that Peter had caught them crying.
Wade had the urge to do just that, get under the covers like last time and let himself hide away from the world…but Peter was trying his hardest at his job, doing unnecessary things just for Wade.
So instead, Wade sat down at the table, ready.
What he wasn’t ready for was Peter’s messy brown curls to come in, unlike usual where they were parted to the side and geled, the hair was naturally parted in the centre- soft looking from lack of products.
It was similar to that one time he, apparently, hadn’t gone home for the night, except this time he actually had a change of clothes.
Wade frowned with worry, watching as Peter, for the second time ever, did not greet him as usual. His coffee colour ed eyes were avoiding Wade’s as he came to take a seat in front of him.
“He looks like a puppy that has just been kicked” and if Yellow wasn’t right
Peter looked like a child who had done something bad and was too ashamed of his own actions.
“I went to Eleanor’s orphanage”
“Right to the point” White mumbled, almost impressed. He, too, had grown used to Peter slowly getting to the point, building towards the main focus of the conversation.
Wade nodded slowly as a reply, showing he was listening. Hands under table where he could play with the sleeves of his shirt, pinching the skin there as he knew…whatever Peter had to say wasn’t good.
“I tried to ask…” Peter looked down the table “Get them to agree to at least allow Ellie to see you” he frowned
“Guess we won't see her anytime soon then” Yellow, for once, was almost too quiet.
“I’m sorry” Peter finally looked up through the messy curtains of his hair and Wade took notice of how deep his dark circles had become.
Wade kept their gaze before he, too, looked down at the table, Peter following. He wanted to say something, to let Peter know that he appreciated his efforts but…the notebook seemed so so far from his reach, all he could do was lower his head.
“I-“ Peter began again “I wont be at work tomorrow” he said which instantly brought Wade’s attention back, eyes wide.
Seeming to catch Wade’s own panic, Peter hastily continued
“It’s the only day the school can allow me to go see Eleanor” he said “she has no idea about the situation, no idea I know you” he bit the bottom of his lip which momentarily distracted Wade.
“He’s really expressive today” White noted and Wade came to the realization that Peter wasn’t doing the weird thing he does where every expression, tone of voice, movement is planned and controlled. This was Peter and Peter was worried… struggling to find a solution.
“Of course, if you don't want me to tell her anything I wont-“ Peter rambled and Wade was fascinated by how much he could actually talk instead of listen “but Ill still be going, sorry Wade, I need to see if she’s alright” he continued
“Why would he need to see if our Ellie is alright?” White questioned
“Did something happen to Ellie?!” Yellow gasped
“Peter” Wade was surprised by his own voice, scratchy from crying like a child. He watched as the brunette clicked his mouth shut, wide brown, tired eyes on him.
“Did something happen to Ellie?” he asked, voice terrifyingly controlled as his fists clenched tightly, the sound of his leather gloves squeaking with the action.
Audibly gulping, Peter’s eyes strayed from Wade as he nervously bit his lip once again, pulling at the dry skin from those peach lips.
The longer Peter remained quiet, the louder the voices became, the tenser Wade would get.
“Not exactly” Peter said, taking a deep breath as if collecting himself “I got called in for a troublesome student.” Peter seemed to give in, full attention on Wade once again, his posture straight as he’d usually have, Wade noticed now he had been hunching on himself…
“A friend of mine that works there told me the counselor they hired at the moment hadn’t helped much so I took the opportunity to go… and that's how I met Ellie” Peter continued
“Well he skipped a lot of details” Yellow said suspiciously, recalling how vague Peter had been last time when talking about meeting Ellie.
Whatever Peter seemed to want to say next, he hesitated but seemed to come to terms with it and sighed
“I saw her after an assembly before meeting her formally” he said “She caught my eye because of the state she was in” he didn't go any further into it but from how his hands clenched, it wasn’t a good state.
Wade felt sick… Was Ellie not ok?
“When I got to the counseling room and found she was the girl I was meaning to talk to, I knew I just couldn’t leave it as it was” he tapped his finger against the table “I went and bought her new clothes at the end of the day and donated it to the orphanage” he added as if to clarify
“Ellie seemed to have her guard up” Peter leaned over and opened his bag, pulling out a small notepad and opening it on a page “Which wasn’t unusual- I figured she was acting like a bad kid because…” he stopped, thumb brushing past the messy writing in the pages.
“Because when you're good and get told off there's really no use in being good” he looked up at Wade “Anyone loves compliments, especially kids… If you scold them only with no encouragement or praise, it does no good” he explained “It might make them think they are meant to be bad…that their efforts don't matter”
“Ellie is good!” Wade glared at Peter, anger bubbling in his chest from being unable to do anything about this. His fists were now on the table, shoulders up as the urge to punch something took over.
“I know” Peter replied earnestly, eyes unfaltering.
Just like that, Peter's unwavering eyes managed to calm Wade enough so he relaxed back in his chair, listening to what else the man had to say.
“She hadn’t opened up to me until I related to her a bit” he proceeded and Wade was curious as to what his therapist and daughter could relate to “she told me that she had gotten bullied before and the counselor once blamed her for it”
Wade wanted to wrap his hands around whoever that dumbass counselor was and judging from how Peter’s hands clenched until white and he scowled with disgust, he might feel the same.
“I dont think Ive ever seen him have this much feelings before” Yellow mused, entertained and Wade nodded
“So…I want to go and make sure if there's any other way I can help” Peter said finally “if she needs more than clothes, I know how hard it is to-“ he stopped abruptly, eyes wide before he quickly amended to whatever he, apparently, had slipped up “I want to make sure she’s alright and let her know the situation…She believes youre…” Peter frowned deeper, seeming as though the pain was his own.
“She believes you're coming back for her” he whispered sadly and Wade’s heart broke at that, at Peter’s words and tone.
Seeming as though he knew what Ellie was going through
“Oh” White came to a revelation he wasn’t sharing with anyone… but if he’s in Wade’s head then maybe Wade knows too but just doesn't want to think about it.
“Please tell her” Wade says quietly, glaring down at his hands through the blurriness of his own building tears. It felt wrong…It felt wrong to tell his baby he wasn’t coming anytime soon, that he couldn’t take her home.
It felt wrong to give her false hopes too…Peter must have figured it out as well, ence this conversation.
“She said she was misbehaving at the orphanage so no one would take her in” Peter whispered with a sad smile “because you-“
Wade lift his hand, unable to listen anymore. Instead, he just quietly handed Peter the paper questionnaire, hoping he'd get the hint.
It felt so so wrong…
“Thank you, Wade” Peter’s voice was hauntingly controlled as he took the paper in hand “I will see you after tomorrow” he bid farewell and left the room with his own things.
As the door closed, clicking to indicate the lock was on, Wade screamed, letting out his frustration and hurt and loss.
It felt as though he was giving up on his daughter.