Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“So if I hit the 8 ball in the pocket I lose? And I have to hit the white ball with the pool stick to hit another ball into a pocket? This game sounds really complicated. I don’t know…” You purse your lips and blink your eyes innocently up at the three burly men leaning against the pool table in front of you.

The one in the stained white wife beater smirks and folds his arms across his chest, hiding the curling patch of black hair peeking up from the neck of his shirt. “We’ll go easy on you. Fifty bucks for a game. Two hundred for redemption.” He bares his yellowed teeth at you. Eyes sliding up and down your form, taking in your exposed skin. You were wearing a denim mini skirt, low cut grey converse, and a tight black v-neck sweater. Hair pulled up in a messy bun, exposing your long neck. Easy distractions.

Twirling your hair around your finger, deep in thought, you wonder if this is a good idea. Three men. $200 a piece. That’s nearly one months rent for your apartment. In one night. “I guess I can try one game,” you sigh, defeated, and chalk up your stick with the little blue cube, your bangle bracelets jingling with the motion.

Their raucous laughter fills the room. ‘Wife beater’ pulls a stick from the holder on the wall while the other two men disappear for another round of drinks. “I’ll give you the first game. Just you and me. $50 even and you’re in.” His voice is excited as he reels in his prey.

Fishing in your pocket, your fingers wrap around the fifty dollar bill you had strategically placed there, you hand him the money and watch as he breaks and the multi color balls shoot out in all different directions. He sinks the solid 2 ball and the striped 12 ball. “So does that mean you get to decide what color you want?” You chime in and lean over the table, interested.

“Sure does, sweetheart. I’ll take the stripes. So you just try to sink those solid color ones, okay?” He winks at you and you try not to vomit in your mouth.

“I’m going to go get another beer for my nerves while you finish your turn. I’ll be right back!” you call over your shoulder with a wave of your hand. “Hey, Jake, can I have another?” Your palm smacks the top of the smooth, wooden bar twice to get his attention. He nods once. “Thanks!” you shout over the chatter and turn to take in the scene around you.

The dimly lit, dingy bar was crowded for a Thursday night. Rock music played softly in the background from the old, beat up jukebox machine in the corner. It smelled faintly of cigars and stale beer, but it felt homier than most places in the city. Jack sets the beer bottle in front of you before turning back to talk to the other patrons sitting on bar stools around the bar. “Don’t cause any trouble, y/n, those are regulars,” He mutters as he wipes a glass dry with a rag before setting on the top shelf.

“I thought I was a regular, Jack,” You whine softly and stick out your lower lip, pouting.

“Yeah. A regular pain in the ass!” He retorts and continues to dry glass after glass. “Geezus. You look like shit,” He calls as a man in a dark leather jacket stumbles onto a bar stool at the other end of the bar. The man just smiles and nods once. His eyes shift back and forth uneasily and he flinches suddenly, like someone had snuck up on him.

“Do you ever feel like your whole life is just… shit…? Meaningless? Messed up?” The man mutters as he orders a drink.

Jack stares at him in silence for a moment before saying, “Nope.” and placing a bottle in front of him. Jack was right. That man did look like shit.

“Hey honey! It’s your turn now!” 'Wife beater’ calls from the pool room. Jack shoots you a warning glance. You smile at wave slightly as the man looks over at you with blurry eyes. Skipping down the two steps, you let your heels click loudly on the tiled floor as you pick up your pool stick and survey the table. He had only landed two shots. Biting the inside of your cheek to keep from smirking, you line up and sink the striped 13 followed quickly by the 15. “You’re pretty good at this. Are you sure you haven’t played this before?” His eyes narrow suspiciously.

“They were just lined up for easy shots,” you lie smoothly and purposefully miss the next shot, the cue ball bouncing aimlessly off the side and rolling to the center of the table.

“You wouldn’t be hustling us now would you, darlin?” He steps behind you, pinning you to the table with his body. “That wouldn’t be very lady like, now would it?”

“No. I swear. I’ve only ever watched my brother play. I didn’t even know how to rack the balls,” you stutter, holding your breath so you don’t vomit from his close proximity. They buy your story and continue the game. He sinks the eight ball and grabs the money on the side of the table with his beefy hands. Your stomach lurches at your lose, but sometimes you need to lose a few to win big. At least that was what you had come to learn. “Redemption? You all against me?”

They raise their eyebrows and whistle lowly. “You so eager for us to take all your money, sugar?”

Rolling your eyes, you shake your head. Enough with the pet names, you creep. “I just want the chance to win it back. That was my portion of the rent this month,” you admit sheepishly and bat your eyelashes.

“Well who are we to disagree. Redemption. 200 bucks a piece boys. Let’s give the lady another game.” They place their bills in a pile on the edge of the table. You smile and place your own money on the top of the pile. “Stupid bitch.” One of the mutters as he chalks is pool stick and breaks the rack.

“Dump asshat,” you mutter under your breath and watch the game. The odds just didn’t seem fair. They didn’t add up for you, but you knew that they were heavily buzzing now and you were their greatest distraction. Leaning forward, you use your stick for balance, and push your cleavage out just a little, catching the attention of two of the three. You smile when you catch them staring and bite your lip. They nearly fall over each other, knocking 'wife beater’ off balance and he misses the shot. “My turn!” you chirp sweetly and sink all of your numbered balls followed by the eight ball.

“What the-!” They shout in protest. “Hey! You cheated.” The reach for you with sweaty palms, but you dance just out of reach.

“Thanks, boys! It’s been fun! See you later!” Shoving the pile of money in your pocket, you dash up the steps without looking back. “Bye, Jack! Be back to pay my tab in a few! Forgot I left my curling iron on!” Your fingers close around the strap of your messenger bag and you fling it over your shoulder as you dash out the door, nearly running into the man in the leather jacket. “Sorry!” you shout over your shoulder. breathing deeply, you take off in a sprint down the sidewalk. Those idiots are far too out of shape to actually chase you anywhere. They barely made if out the front door before getting winded. “Easy peasy,” you mutter and slow to a walk, turning into the park on your left.

The cold night air brushes across your skin, the cold tingling just a little. Should have grabbed your jacket when you grabbed your bag. It was fresh and crisp. The smells of grass and dirt fill your nose as you inhale deeply, reveling in the peace and quiet of this little retreat in the otherwise bustling city. Turning your head to make sure no one followed you, you take the concrete steps two at a time, climbing to the top of the hill that overlooks downtown.

It was beautiful at night. The lights of the city twinkling against the black backdrop of the night sky. All life just ceases to exist when you sit in the grass under a large oak tree, hidden from view from the walking path. Your eyes close as the silence of the world engulfs you.

Until a twig snaps.

“Hello, little dove. What’s a pretty little thing like you doing alone in the park at night?” A menacing voice cuts through the silence.

You whip your head to the left and right, trying to see through the inky blackness. The streetlights didn’t reach this far from the path. “I’m waiting on my boyfriend,” you answer lamely and clutch your bag to your chest, fingers clasping around the taser in the front pocket.

“You look just like the girl my friends described that cheated them out of money in a bar. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”

You shake your head, eyes searching for the owner of the voice.

He scoffs and steps into the light, eyeing you dangerously. “Cut the shit, you little bitch. Give me the money you took and I’ll let you go. Fair trade. You’re life for just a little cash.” He holds out his hand to you, wiggling his fingers impatiently.

“He’s lying.” An animalistic voice reverberates around you. It sounded calm, but strangely disembodied.

“Who the fuck said that?” the man growl and pulls something from his back pocket. A long blade glints in the yellow light of the streetlamp. “Show your face.”

“He’s not nice. He’s very bad, right? We can eat him?” The voice pauses, as if waiting for an answer, and then speaks again. “So many tasty snacks.”

“Who are you?” The man’s voice cracks as he turns in the direction of the voice. His entire body goes rigid. His face pales, and you could see the sweat soaking through his grey t-shirt. “What the… What are you?” he whispers and starts backing away.

Curiosity gets the better of you and you edge closer to the halo of light, trying to see what  was happening. That’s when you see a hulking, black mass step into the light. Towering at nearly 8 feet tall, the creature stalks forward slowly, like a predator. The dragon-sharp teeth bared in a snarl. A long, pink tongue flicks the air in front of it like a snake, but you know that it can see perfectly. It’s large, white eyes narrow just a fraction as it takes in the whimpering heep of a man before it. “WE are Venom.” It’s voice echoes through your mind.

You know that you should turn away. You should run. You should scream. But you remain silent. Watching in silent awe as the creature continues to stalk forward, circling the man. Toying with him. Like a cat toys with a mouse before it eats it. You watch as the massive muscles of it’s chest rise and fall in an even, steady rhythm. Before you can blink, it’s massive jaws open and close around the man’s throat, tearing his head clean off his body. Your stomach lurches and you gag in the bushes beside you.

Venom turns to you and regards you curiously. “Another snack?” His tone was questioning. “Why not?” It demands, protesting a voice you never heard. “Looks tasty. Smells tasty…. I can smell your… you’re not afraid?” It accuses you, narrowing its eyes.

You stand slowly and hold your hands up, palms out. “Not a snack,” you say, trying to keep your voice calm. You had seen what this thing could do in a split second. “Thank you.”

“What for?” Venom asks, standing straight up, towering over your small frame.

“For saving me.”

“You are weak. Defenseless. Tiny,” it states, matter of fact. “I was hungry.”

“Uh huh.” You nod once and take a few steps closer, trying to make out what the creature was. “What are you?”

“WE are -”

“Venom, yeah I heard that. That’s your name? What are you made of?” You stupidly reach your fingertips out, trying to touch it’s arm.

Venom snarls and jerks away. “You are stupid. Why do you stay? Why are you not afraid?”

You shrug, trying to seem nonchalant when in fact your knees were shaking so much that they might give out on you, and smile slightly. This thing was right, you are stupid. “I’m just curious. You know what they say… Curiosity killed the cat.” picking up your bag, you start walking back down the concrete steps, leaving the headless body and Venom behind. “Thanks again!”

“WAIT!” It’s voice rumbles through the air.

Turning your face, you see it bounding toward you. “What?”

“Not safe. Bad people in this world.” it’s tongue flicks out and slides across it’s needle-like teeth, sending a shiver down your spine.

“Yes. But I’m fine. I just live three blocks away. I think I can make it on my own.” You wave and start walking again, closing your eyes tight, trying to squeeze the image of Venom’s tongue out of your mind. “Maybe I’ll see you around!” you say loudly and disappear into the night, trying to fight the urge to sprint all the way to your front door.

“Eddie, What is Curiosity and why did it kill a cat?” You hear Venom mutter quietly, holding your breath, you wait for a response, but nothing comes. “Do they taste good?”

You release the breath you didn’t realize you’d been holding and slump against the front steps of your apartment. “Holy shit! It bit that guys head off!” you whisper, your brain finally coming out of shock. “And I tried to touch it! What is wrong with me?!” Fumbling with the keys, you unlock the door and duck inside before you think of any other idiotic ideas for the night.

***

“We will follow her.” Venom’s voice vibrates with unease.

“Why would we do that? Leave the poor girl alone. She’s had enough for one night!” Eddie’s voice floats through Venom’s head.

“Safe. She needs to get home safe.”

“Why do you care so much?” Eddie snaps but gets no response from Venom other than a shrug of his broad shoulders. “I’m sure she’s fine big guy,” he sighs. “Let’s go home. I’ll make you some tater tots.”

Venom’s body hums with pleasure at the thought of warm tater tots. “But first…” He surges forward suddenly, his body airborne as he dashes through the park and climbs onto a nearby building. His eyes scan the sidewalks, searching for you in the moonlight. He finds you quickly and leaps from roof to roof, following you all the way to your doorstep. “She is safe,” he hums proudly. “Now… Tater tots.”

Eddie inwardly rolls his eyes. “Yeah, buddy, tater tots.”

Chapter Text

“That’s what I saw! I’m telling you, it was like nothing I’ve ever seen before!” You say forcefully and lean forward in your chair, bracing your hands against the edge of the kitchen table, holding your cell phone to your ear with your shoulder. “Before you say anything, I’m not making it up. I feel like I’m going insane. Maybe I am. Who knows, but I’m going back out there and I’m going to find it again.” Tucking your camera into your messenger bag, you pull on a blue plaid jacket and a navy baseball cap.

“You can’t go out at night! You’ll never find it!” Your roommate, Naomi, argues sternly. She was using her ‘mom’ voice now. “Why can’t you just wait until I come home in three weeks?”

“Are you kidding? It’ll be easier to spot at night anyway! I can’t wait 3 whole weeks! It could be gone by then! This will be a major break through if I can find it again.” One boot. Other boot. You grunt as you nearly stumble, hopping down the hall on one foot, trying to shove your heel into the boot without untying it.

“If you get yourself killed over a stupid sea turtle nest then I’m going to be really pissed at you, y/n.” Naomi sighs, accepting the fact that she can’t talk you out of this. “Please be safe. There are -”

“Bad people in the world. Strangely enough you are not the first person to tell me that this week.” Chuckling quietly, you remember Venom telling you the same thing just three nights ago. “My taser is charged and I just picked up another can of pepper spray. I’ll be fine! Don’t worry. I’ve got my camera, a sleeping bag, a thermal blanket, and food. I’ve got everything I need. I’ll call you tomorrow okay?”

“Okay, y/n. Please be safe.” Her voice holds a note of worry, but she doesn’t argue further and hangs up.

Checking off the things on your list again, you make sure you have everything you need before locking the door behind you. The chilly night air dances around you. A shiver snakes up your spine as you scan the sidewalks and surrounding area of a black mass of sinister teeth and muscle.

Nothing. Just silence. It was almost 2 a.m.

Pulling your collar up and around your neck, you start off down the hill toward the bay. The cable cars were no longer running, so this was going to be a long walk.

***

“No you are not eating the Maltese from down the street. I don’t care how annoying it is.” Eddie says exasperated as Venom rumbles in protest. “What do you want to do tonight? The sky’s pretty clear, we could climb the bridge and sit at the top for a while.”

“We could.” Venom’s head emerged from Eddie’s back and he flicked his tongue through the air. “The lights are pretty from up there.”

“Yeah. They are. And it’s peaceful. No loud music. No car horns.”

“It is peaceful. But then you speak,” Venom teases and disappears again.

“Very funny. Are we riding or walking?” Eddie rounds the corner of the alley and jangles the keys to his motorcycle in his pocket. Venom doesn’t answer. “Fine. I’m driving. That’s a long walk. You can climb it when we get there.” He swings his leg over the bike and the engine rumbles to life. Revving it twice, he breathes in the smell of the exhaust before taking off down the side street.

***

The sand sinks beneath the weight of your boots as you trudge along the shoreline, searching for the slide marks of the turtle, hoping that it came back to the nest again. The sea turtles were becoming endangered in the area because people were destroying their nests. As a nature photographer and sea turtle fan, you help locate nests along the bay and preserve them. “I remember it was past the dunes, over to the left of the lifeguard stand…” you mumble to yourself and adjust the strap on your shoulder. “This is impossible!”

The beam of your flashlight illuminates a clear, smooth path on the sand from the water to a clearing between to sand dunes. “Bingo!” Shuffling forward quietly, you make sure there are no turtles around the nest before setting up a wide perimeter with wooden stakes and orange tape. Once the area was secure, you spread a blanket out over the sand about 15 feet behind the nest and settle into your sleeping bag. The camera propped up on your knees, night lens focused on the water’s edge.

Maybe tonight would be your lucky night.

***

“Climb!” Venom purrs gleefully and takes over. His black goo completely enveloping Eddie’s body. His arms extend, flexing his muscles as he pulls them up the side of the bridge. Pull after pull. Jump after jump. The ground quickly disappears beneath them, leaving the world behind. It takes no time to reach the top of the bridge. Venom crouches down and closes his eyes, breathing deeply. Taking in the fresh, clean air. “Eddie?”

“Yeah, Vee?” Eddie’s voice is soft as he looks at the world through Venom’s eyes.

“Are you trying to work things out with Anne? Are you trying to get her back?” His voice rumbles out slowly, cautiously. He knew that Anne was always a sensitive subject with Eddie.

“No, Venom. I think that ship has sailed. She’s with Dan now and they seem very happy. I’m happy she’s happy.” Eddie’s voice breaks once. He stays silent for a few moments. “Why?”

Venom hesitates, gauging Eddie’s reaction to his questions. After a few minutes, he shrugs his massive shoulders and sits down on the cold metal. “There is someone better for you,” he says finally.

“Oh yeah? Who? The girl from the park that you wanted to eat the other night?” Eddie’s voice is teasing.

“What girl?” Venom asks, trying to sound oblivious.

“The one you haven’t stopped thinking about in two days. You need to just drop it and leave her alone before you cause any trouble.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about…” Venom folds his arms across his chest and turns his face into the wind, inhaling deeply. His eyes narrow as he breathes in a familiar scent. “OH!” He cries and pushes off the edge, tumbling downward rapidly.

Too rapidly for Eddie’s liking. “What are you doing?! I just told you no!”

“Well we say yes!” He hisses the last word with a sneer.

***

Eyes half closed, knees pulled to your chest, arms wrapped around your knees, you fight the urge to succumb to sleep. If you close your eyes for a second that turtle could appear and then disappear without a second chance. “Stay awake,” you whisper to yourself over and over, yawning deeply. The half moon casts a bright reflection against the dark water of the ocean. A pretty picture with the bridge in the background. Turning the camera on, you raise it to your eye and snap a few shots in quick succession. Anything to distract you from how tired you feel.

You’re about to turn it off and place it back in your bag when a loud crash comes from the area of beach just to your right. The ground shakes slightly beneath you, the sand rumbling to find a new place to settle. The flashlight beam flails wildly as you look around from your spot between the dunes, but you can’t see anything.

“Maybe we just say hi.” you hear a gravelly voice whisper. The sound tickles your memory. “We won’t scare her…. I will be nice!” The voice hisses indignantly. You lean forward, trying to peer around the edge of the sand dune. If you lean just a little more, crawling on your knees, you strain your eyes against the dark. Suddenly, two large, white eyes appear in the darkness followed by rows of long, sharp teeth. “Hello!” Venom says loudly.

“Oh my God! Venom!” your hand flies to your chest, trying to keep your heart from hammering out of your rib cage. You can hear your pulse ringing in your ears. “what are you doing here?” you snap in a low voice. Now the turtles would never come out with this… creature lurking around you.

“We were… I was sitting up there and smelled you. I wanted to make sure you were safe.” It gives you an innocent smile. Well, as innocent as anything with four inch fangs could.

“That’s…creepy? Sweet? I’m not really sure which I’m leaning more toward.” Pausing, you lean around him, watching the water once more. “I’m fine. You can go now.”

“What are you doing? This isn’t where you live. Why are you here?” He takes in your sleeping bag and pillow.

“See that hole in the sand right there?” you point to the area you had staked off. He nods once. “That’s a sea turtle nest. There aren’t that many around here anymore and the turtles are starting to die off. I come out here sometimes to try and find nests and block them off so people don’t destroy them,” you explain quietly and pull the sleeping bag around you.

“At night?” His voice sounds doubtful.

“Yes. That’s the one time the beach is empty and the turtles feel safe enough to come up from the water.” Smiling at the giant creature kneeling in front of you, you can’t help but feel a little sorry for him. He’s on a strange planet with strange customs and he’s got no one to explain things to him.

“So it’s safe? These… turtles don’t attack?” He asks cautiously, raising an eyebrow.

“No. They’re harmless.” He nods again and then turns to leave. “Venom?” you catch how his back goes rigid when you say his name. “You can stay if you want to. It’s a little boring just sitting here waiting for something to happen, but we can just talk to each other to pass the time.”

He turns slowly and relaxes his shoulders. “I would like that,” he says to you. “I don’t want to leave yet!” he whispers over his shoulder like he’s arguing with someone. The sand shifts and sinks down when he sits beside you, stretching his long legs out in front of him. “Why not let them die?” He asks after a while. “If they’re so defenseless, maybe it’s for the best if they cease to exist.”

Blinking up at him in the moonlight, you shrug your shoulders a little. “It’s not fair to them. It’s our fault that they’re dying off. It’s nothing that they did. I think some people feel responsible. I know I do. So we try to do little things like this to help them. It’s the same with bees, tigers, polar bears… They’re dying off and it’s our fault because we’re taking away their environment.” Venom nods his head slowly, understanding why you feel the way you feel. “Do you want to see what they look like?”

Fishing in your bag, you pull out your tablet and open a photo file of some leather back turtle photos that you had taken last summer. You slide back so you are sitting beside Venom and hold the tablet up so he can see, swiping your finger across the screen every few seconds. As you lean over to show him the photos, your side brushes against Venom’s arm. He lets out a low purr before leaning back, away from your touch. You put the tablet back and neither of you speak for a long time.

“Name..? Oh! Name!” Venom whispers to himself. “What is your name?” He asks you to break the silence stretching out between the two of you.

“Y/n,” you answer softly and stifle a yawn. It was nearly dawn. The cable cars should be up and running soon. “No sign of anything tonight. I guess I should be heading back.”

“What about the turtles?” Venom protests and jumps to his feet with a loud thud.

“I’ll let the rehabilitation center know the location and they’ll keep tabs on it,” you explain and shove your things back into your bag. “Where were you sitting before you found me?” Rounding on him suddenly, you cause him to flinch back at the closeness.

“We… I… I was on top of the bridge,” he admits quietly and points to the tip top of the tower. “It’s nice up there.”

“I’ll bet! That’s so cool! how did you…?” your eyes fall to the very sharp claws at the tips of his fingers and answer your own question. “That’s so cool,” you repeat and stand up straight, holding your hand out to him. “Thanks for sitting with me last night. I’m glad you dropped in.” you bite your lip and internally kick yourself for the terrible joke. “Next time… Let’s make it the top of that bridge.”

Venom wraps his large, black hand around yours, completely engulfing it, and grins wickedly. “Absolutely, y/n.” You shudder slightly at the sound of your name on his tongue. It was a deep hiss, but somehow, despite his sinister looks, he made it seem soft.

Your entire arm starting to tingle as Venom holds onto your hand, and you can’t be sure, but you think he feels it too. He releases you suddenly and in two large bounds he’s gone. Disappeared into the early morning mist.

***

“Y/n,” Venom’s voice whispers through Eddie’s mind as he drives back to his apartment. “I like it.”

“Why are you so attached to this girl. Is it because she didn’t faint when she saw you?” Eddie muses quietly as he unlocks his door. “She did vomit,” he reminds Venom.

“That wasn’t because of me!” he roars in protest.

“Sure. Sure. It was JUST because you ate someone’s head off right in front of her.”

“EDDIE! What if she doesn’t like me?” Venom’s head rises out of Eddie’s shoulder, his brow knit together in frustration.

“Why do you care? You’re just a parasite anyway,” Eddie teases and starts the shower, letting the hot water steam up the bathroom.

Venom bares his teeth and growls menacingly. “Parasite?!”

Chapter Text

“No! Listen… No… Come on. Just let me explain… I just want to know…” You drum your fingers across the wooden surface of your kitchen table. “Fine. Thank you for your… Hello?” With a heavy sigh, you drop your phone onto the table and run both your hands through your hair. “Dick.”

You had called three police stations, four of the local papers, and six of the local news stations. All you wanted was to prove that you didn’t need to check yourself into a nut house because you kept finding this giant, black monster wherever you went. You couldn’t seem to make it past the front desk no matter where you called. No one wanted any part of your ‘publicity stunt’.

It had been 2 weeks since your night on the beach with Venom, and you couldn’t bring yourself to tell your roommate about him because you were starting to think that maybe it was all in your head and you had just suffered a mental breakdown that night in the park after you left the bar. 'I’m going out. Don’t wait up!’ You sent the text to your roommate and on a light hoodie. “I’ll just retrace my steps and start at the beginning,” you mutter as the door closes loudly behind you.

The sun was just starting to set over the city as you made your way toward the dive bar that you were hustling in the night you met the giant monster. It wasn’t too busy inside for a Thursday night, but there were people playing pool and a few men leaning on the bar for balance, obviously too drunk to walk three steps alone. Your eyes scan the dimly lit room and land on a jacket that seemed to tickle your memory. It was the same man that was here the night you were here.

The reporter. You couldn’t remember his name.

“This seat taken?” You ask lightly and drop into the bar stool beside him. He looked over at you with a sly smile, but it quickly faded. Several things crossed his face from recognition, to shock, to panic, to frustration. “I can sit somewhere else,” you offer, confused.

“No!” he says forcefully and then chuckles quietly, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. “No. It’s not taken.”

“Okay,” you laugh and order a beer. The bartender nods and tosses a dingy, white dishrag over his shoulder as he pops a top and slides the bottle your way. You catch it easily. “I’m y/n.” you look up at him and really get a good look at him. Dark scruff, messy dark blond hair, hooded blue eyes, and a crooked smile. Your breath caught in your throat.

“I’m Eddie,” he says and shakes your outstretched hand. You smile and take another sip of your beer. “Do I know you?” He asks suddenly.

“I was here a few weeks ago. I, uh, left in a hurry,” you explain vaguely. He nods slowly and smirks, remembering. “So you’re Eddie Brock the reporter?” He nods cautiously but doesn’t answer. “Can I ask you something? I’ve been trying to do some research for a project,” you lie smoothly and tuck your hair behind your ears.

“I guess it depends on what you ask. I may have an answer,” he responds smoothly and then he turns his head and mutters something under his breath.

“I’m looking into vigilante groups in the city. Do you have any leads on where I should look. Especially f they don’t appear to be human?” You ask pointedly and lean forward, catching his eye before he can look away.

His jaw tightens and he stands suddenly. “You should pick a different project,” he says through clenched teeth and turns to leave, but not before placing a twenty on the bar. “Drinks on me.”

“No wait!” you try to grab his arm, but he’s already out the door. “Thanks,” you mutter and sit back down, drinking the last of your bottle. Another dead end. “Ah hell,” you mutter and dart out the door, following the handsome reporter. “Eddie?” you call his name, scanning the dark streets.

“Shut it, VEE! It’s out of the question!” His voice floated up to you from one of the back alleys.

“But it’s Y/N,” he protested and you recognized the hiss of a voice. It was Venom. Eddie Brock knew Venom, you were sure of it.

“I don’t care! It’s dangerous. You shouldn’t see her anymore. Leave her alone. I mean it.” Eddie’s voice was stern, almost like he was scolding a toddler.

“Eddie…” Venom hisses, holding the 'e’.

“No. I said No!” He says again.

You peer around the brick wall and see Eddie standing half in the shadow of a streetlight. Venom’s large white eyes shine in the darkness. “Maybe he should decide for himself,” you say loudly and step into the light, trying to see them better.

“Y/N!” Venom smiles, showing rows and rows of shark like teeth.

“Let me do the talking for a minute. This will be tricky,” Eddie says as he leans close to Venom. The creature nods and disappears into the shadows before Eddie steps forward. “You found me,” he surmises lamely. “Listen. I can explain.”

“I wish you would,” you snap at him and fold your arms across your chest.
“It’s, ah, it’s complicated,” he begins and rubs his hand behind his neck again. A nervous tick, you notice, amused. “Venom and I… We… Uh…” He stops, trying to come up with the right words.

“You’re friends? You’re partners in crime? You’re secretly seeing each other?” You smirk and tick the reasons off on your fingers. “Am I getting close?”

“No.” He laughs nervously. “It’s a bit more than that.”

“Just tell her already!” Venom’s face emerges from the shadows and seems to hover over Eddie’s right shoulder. “We are Venom,” he says simply. “Eddie is my host.”

“Fucking Parasite,” Eddie growls and glares at Venom’s head.

“Take it back!” Venom mutters indignantly.

“Um…” You are at a loss for words as you slowly realize that Venom isn’t standing behind Eddie, but that his head is coming out of Eddie’s back in a thick stream of black goo. “I think I just… I don’t…” You slowly walk backwards until your back hits the cold brick wall. “What…” No words. You had no words for what your eyes were seeing. It was like your brain just wouldn’t process the information.

“Just breath. Take a minute.” He looks at the face beside him. “Maybe you should just… Go away for a minute. Give her some space.”

“But it’s y/n. She’s seen us before,” he protests.

Not like this!“ Eddie puts his hand over his face and exhales loudly. "There are at least 17 different ways this could have gone better,” he mutters and you aren’t sure if he’s talking to Venom or himself. It’s really the same thing if you think about it. “Literally. Like I’m counting them right now, you moron.” Venom licks his lips and disappears without another word.

“Eddie?” you whisper once the two of you are alone again. “I think you need to buy me another drink. Something stronger,” you suggest quietly.

He gives you a faint smile and nods, holding his hand out to you. “That seems fair.”