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New York City – A dark, damp alley
Gunshots, screams, flashing blades and flying blood filled the air.
Deadpool—Wade Wilson—was slicing through a crowd with his dual swords, twirling and spinning like a dancer, all while humming an off-key tune.
Bang!
A gang member barely lifted his gun before Deadpool took his head clean off. Blood splattered the wall.
"Whoa! I call that move the Heads-Off Happy Hour!"
Deadpool whistled, then stabbed another guy clean through the throat. "And this one? I call it the Throat Smoothie!"
The rest of the gang started backing away, terrified, but Deadpool zipped between them like a blur of flashing steel. Each slash left a blur of afterimages.
"Hey, you dumbasses! Can't you die a little slower? I'm not done playing!"
Just then—
ZZZZZHHHH!!!
A blazing golden heat beam dropped from the sky like divine judgment, slicing through the entire alley!
BOOM!
The gangsters didn't even have time to scream—they were vaporized on the spot. The heat vision carved a scorched trench into the ground, filling the air with the stench of burnt flesh.
Deadpool froze. He looked down at his hands—his swords were melted halfway through.
"Fuuuuuuck!!"
He looked up fast, eyes locking onto the end of the alley.
Jiro floated down from above, black battle suit gleaming in the dim light, golden patterns flowing across the surface.
Deadpool blinked, then exaggeratedly threw his arms open.
"Whoa! If it isn't our favorite Sunshine Boy! What's up, you here to join my midnight murder party?"
Jiro said nothing. He just walked toward him, calm and silent.
Deadpool tilted his head, still rambling, "Okay, not gonna lie, your entrance was a little much. You roasted my whole dance crew. Not cool, man. Not cool."
Still no response. Jiro stepped up and placed a hand on Deadpool's shoulder.
Deadpool looked down at the hand, then up at Jiro's expressionless face—and flashed a wicked grin.
"Hey, big guy… if you touch me like that outta nowhere, I'm gonna get the wrong idea." He winked.
"Wait a second… do you like me?"
Still no response.
Jiro simply activated his x-ray vision, scanning through Deadpool's skin and analyzing his cellular structure…
Deadpool's healing factor was crystal clear to Jiro's eyes. Those insane cells were constantly dividing and regenerating, even defying the laws of biology.
"Whoa, that look in your eyes… like you're seeing straight into my soul." Deadpool clutched his chest and acted all shy.
"But fair warning, my soul might be... I don't know, a rainbow-colored black?"
Jiro's cells started mimicking Deadpool's healing factor, but he quickly realized that it wasn't even close to the regenerative power of his own Kryptonian cells.
"So that's how it is," Jiro muttered as he pulled his hand back.
Deadpool raised an eyebrow. "What's 'so that's how it is'? Don't tell me you finally realized I'm so handsome I'm a global threat?"
Jiro gave him a side glance. "You're not immortal because of that healing factor."
Deadpool froze for a second, then dramatically slapped a hand over his mouth. "Oh my god! Don't tell me I'm cursed? Or wait, am I secretly some god's long-lost kid?"
Jiro said flatly, "Death doesn't want you."
Deadpool's expression froze for a brief moment before he snapped back to his usual goofy self. "Wow, that's kinda romantic? So Lady Death has a crush on me and won't let me die?"
"You guessed right."
Jiro couldn't be bothered to talk anymore and turned to leave.
But Deadpool suddenly jumped forward and blocked his path. "Whoa whoa whoa! You're just gonna leave? No coffee? Not even a quick explanation why you popped in to peek at my cells?"
Jiro paused and looked at him with those golden eyes. "Trying to get on my good side?"
Deadpool dramatically clutched his chest. "Oof, so cold! I love it!"
Jiro ignored him and shot into the air, vanishing into the night sky.
Deadpool stayed where he was, staring up at the sky. After a while, he shrugged.
"Another cool, broody hottie." He sighed, pulled a chocolate bar from his pocket, and shoved it into his mouth, mumbling through it.
"But Death doesn't want me? Huh… that's a new one."
He licked the chocolate off the corner of his mouth and suddenly grinned.
"Guess I owe Thanos a thank-you next time I see him."
With that, he started humming and walked deeper into the alley, disappearing into the shadows.
Jiro stepped out of the portal, golden light slowly fading behind him.
In the living room, Wanda was sitting on the couch, crimson Chaos Magic swirling at her fingertips. It morphed into delicate energy roses before fading away in her palm.
The moment she heard him, she looked up sharply. Her red hair fluttered slightly as her eyes lit up with joy.
"You're back!" she stood up, the magic dissipating into the air as she quickly walked over.
Jiro looked at her and gave an approving nod. "Nice progress."
Wanda blushed, twirling a strand of her hair. "Really? Where'd you go just now?"
"Had to test something." Jiro sat down on the couch, casually picked up a glass of water from the table, and took a sip.
Wanda blinked, hesitated a bit, then sat beside him and said softly, "You always do this. Disappear without a word."
Jiro turned his head toward her, his tone unreadable. "What is it you want to ask?"
Wanda bit her lower lip, her heartbeat quickening.
She took a deep breath, finally mustered up the courage, and looked straight into his eyes. "I've been living here for a while now. And aside from teaching me magic… don't you have any other thoughts?"
Jiro raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
Wanda blushed even more but didn't back down. "I'm not stupid. What kind of normal guy lets a strange girl stay in his house and treats her like she owns the place? What are you really thinking?"
Jiro stared at her for a moment—then smiled.
"What about you?" he asked in return. "What are you thinking?"
Wanda's breath hitched. Her fingers tightened around the edge of her shirt.
"I…"
Her voice was soft but steady. "These days I've spent with you… I've been really happy. I know I don't have much to offer, so I've been training hard in magic, hoping I can help you someday. When we fought together a few days ago, I…"
She paused. Her eyes were glowing with emotion.
"Maybe… maybe I fell for you? I know it sounds crazy, but books say that's how feelings work…"
The air around them seemed to freeze.
Jiro looked at her quietly. His gaze slowly dropped from her eyes to her trembling lips.
The next second—
He leaned in and kissed her.
"Mmm!"
Wanda's eyes flew wide open, her whole body going stiff.
Jiro's lips were warm and firm, pressing down with an intensity that didn't allow refusal.
Her mind went blank. All she could feel was his burning breath and the heat of his hand on her waist.
A few seconds later, instinct took over—she closed her eyes and kissed him back, shy but passionate.
Jiro's hand slid up to the back of her neck, deepening the kiss.
Wanda's fingers clenched tightly around his shirt, her heartbeat pounding like a drum.
Finally, Jiro pulled away slowly.
Wanda's lips were slightly swollen, her breathing uneven, and her eyes misty with emotion.
Jiro let out a soft laugh and waved his hand.
Buzz!
A golden portal opened beside them, revealing the bedroom on the other side.
He looked at her, voice low and rough. "Ready?"
Wanda didn't answer—she just looked up at him, those amber eyes full of love and anticipation.
Jiro didn't say anything else. He scooped her up in his arms and stepped into the portal.
As the golden light faded and the door closed, Wanda's soft laughter and Jiro's low whisper disappeared with it.
"....."