Venom + Carnage + Eddie (for [Bad username or unknown identity: commentatortots"]

[imareporter]

[Edward Brock has accepted his life will never be normal again.

No really. It just seemed like the right thing to do, to keep Venom safe. Let him stay, let him borrow his body, hell, let him be a superhero. Despite everything they've done, the cross country moves, the occasional living off the grid. He could have taken all of that.

Then he started getting sick in the mornings, feeling dazed, dizzy, tired. He got loogey - sick - put on weight - snapping at everyone including Anne when she tried to call and ask if he was okay. Plus a sense of...anticipation.

He'd chocked it up to some kind of head-cold, some sort of virus, and not bothered V with it, assuming that he'd be better whenever the symbiote got it's act together...

But Venom was acting weird too and, pacing through San Quentin, Eddie stopped, excused himself, and puked in the toilet before sitting back on it, wiping his mouth and glaring.]

V. What's happening to us? And can it not happen here?

Comments

[commentatertots]

[The life they had, whirlwind and chaotic as it could be? Was everything Venom could have wanted. Made defying Ravage turning his back on the Hive worth it.

Eddie was trying to make things work, and so Venom did what he could to make it easier. Tried to learn more about humans so they could blend in better, follow the rules his host laid out about eating. It was hard. Especially now, especially with Eddie sick and snappish, and the symbiote positively ravenous beyond the norm.

But his hunger wasn't nearly as big a problem. At first Venom didn't realize what was wrong with Eddie. But then he was feeling it too, and even though he'd never been pregnant before, he knew what it entailed, knew the symptoms, and it was enough to get him a little nervous. It was one thing to talk vaguely about the idea that a symbiote could spawn- have a baby, as Eddie put it. But would it be another thing entirely to realize that Venom was?

Eddie likely felt the ripple of unease, somewhere behind his diaphragm, the symbiote's tendrils slinking through his host again, trying to help ease some of the discomfort.

/Sorry. It's um.../ Shit, how did he admit it? SURPRISE WE'RE EXPECTING? A candygram? An email?]

[imareporter]

[Jesus. There's a knock on the door and Eddie has to shout "Be out in a second!" before he curls up against the stall wall.

There's a well of emotion spinning through him, rising and falling in waves before he breathes. One, two, three. One, two, three. Counting breaths and keeping his heart rate calm. Meditation helps.]

...Whatever it is V, I need you to tell me. I am about to go into the biggest interview of my career part two and I can't - do that- feeling like this!-

[The growl Eddie lets out is positively feral, and inhuman.]

Love, I promise. I just need it straight.

["Mr. Brock? Is everything all right?"

"Some kind of stomach bug!"]

[commentatertots]

[Why is this so hard? Why can't Venom just spit it out?

/Sorry! I- well-/

Eddie could likely feel him in that moment, the roiling unease, the uncharacteristic nerves. Something else, other than Venom. Smaller. Still growing, still being nurtured.

Straight. Give it to him straight. Venom could do that.

/We're going to spawn./

Nailed it!]

[imareporter]

[Oh.

Oh.

Oh.

Later Edward Brock will process the horror of this situation. Or perhaps not. Perhaps he is mired in these paternal (maternal?) feelings. His mind's expanded, he's everywhere and nowhere at once.

Mr. Brock?! Sir are you all right?! Please-]

Okay here's what we're going to do. I have crippling food poisoning and you and I are going to go home and I am going to...to take care of you.

[Yes. That's it.]

And tomorrow we are going to go back and we are going to try this again and we are going to keep these...these feelings under control.

[Calling Dan and Anne doesn't even enter into his mind as he rises. Staggering out of the stall and staring at himself in the mirror, Eddie doesn't even blink when he sees Venom's features staring back at him - unaware of how pallid he looks.

One big clawed hand adjusts his jaw.]

...We look pretty good. You. You look good. but us...is...Forget it. We're going okay?

[commentatertots]

[/Alright. Okay, let's do that./

It was... a relief. Comforting to have Eddie jumping in, taking the reins for the moment. Venom was sure they'd be fine in the end, he was a healthy symbiote, his host was strange but healthy, their bond was strong. But he'd always thought when he finally did spawn that the Hive would be there to assist. At least insofar as he wouldn't be alone.

Eddie helped him feel less alone, like always, some of the tension seeping from the knot of emotion that was the symbiote.

/Wasn't... expecting it so soon. We'll have a better handle on this tomorrow./]

[imareporter]

[The looks of surprise on the humans faces should give the symbiote pause. Eddie staggers back and stares at his bike once they're back outside, the warden offering him very concerned looks "IT wasn't the food was it? It wasn't was it?"

He'd eaten two days worth but Eddie just shakes his head.

Slumping over into the car he holds his hands around his chest. Better to ride in the emotions. Better to feel it right? To protect themselves. To keep themselves safe to...

Eddie gives his head a violent shake and stares at his reflection in the mirror.]

We have to go back tomorrow. Until then I just need you to...

[He slumps over onto the seat as the car circles into the city.]

I don't know. What do you need? Want?

[commentatertots]

[All Venom could do was support his host as he stumbled his way towards the car. Make sure he actually made it without tripping.

It was a little easier once they'd settled into the seat. Venom could try and focus on easing Eddie's symptoms, making the man as comfortable as possible. Eddie's gaze was met in the reflection, something a bit softer, and maybe even a little pensive to the symbiote's expression.

As soft as one could get with that mouthful of teeth he had, that is.

/Food. I... I think I just need to eat and rest at this point./]

[imareporter]

[Eat. Rest. Sure. Easy.

The couple in the room next to them is yelling again and Eddie groans. One day he'd take out the husband. One day he'd devour him, pick his teeth with the son of a bitch's bones. Pathetic foolish human being-

He freezes, slumping in the doorway before he drags a hand over his face.]

Can you come out? Or are we...fused? I've never had this happen before.

[His laugh is weak.] That should be obvious but it's not. It makes sense. I just want you to be happy love.

[Is he babbling? He's babbling.]

[commentatertots]

[It was probably a good thing the things needed at the moment were simple, with how this was making Eddie ill along with him.

Venom trying to pretend there wasn't a low, eager thrum in response to the mixed bloodlust that rose at Eddie's irritation with the noisy couple, shoving the emotion to the side. They could make do today with normal, human food. Probably a good thing with how Eddie was feeling already.

/A little. Not as much as I normally can./

It was safe enough to let enough of himself slip loose to give Eddie a proper face to speak to, nestling on the man's shoulder.]

It's... weird, but it'll be alright. It's... things are normal so far.

[That news would likely make Eddie feel a bit better to hear, for all it was still likely very weird to him.]

Being with you makes me happy.

[imareporter]

[the affection, indeed, the love, that Eddie feels is real. I'm going to be a dad. a parent. I'm- How the hell is that even going to work? Does it matter? It doesn't. Holding the symbiote, he paces to the fridge and digs out a packet of raw ground beef. Stronger stomach, altered ever-so-slightly biology when they're bonded.

Eddie fights through all of the responses that are hormonal before returning to the couch and slumping against it, before digging into the hamburger and setting it in front of the symbiote, fingers trailing along his head.]

...Parents huh.

[Shit. Should Anne know?]

You got a name picked out?

[commentatertots]

[Venom was content to let Eddie carry them for the moment, little tendrils seeping out to coil around fingers and his wrist, to stick lightly to skin. Only moving once Eddie had settled down again, a little more of himself seeping out until the lump of black settled on Eddie's chest was about the size of a housecat, the symbiote turning attention to the beef his host had so thoughtfully gotten for him.]

A name. I... I'm not sure. I never thought I'd be allowed to spawn in the first place.

[imareporter]

allowed.

[Eddie's anger seeps through him, stronger and more intense then he's ever felt, and he lets it slide, digging his fingers gently into the top of the symbiote's skin. Gently. Ever so gently.]

Nobody gets to chose if you can have kids or not. That's vile. This is your child.

...Our...your...

[Don't think about it]

Your child.

[He holds the symbiote against him.]Eat and relax. Think. I'm here and we're...we have an evening to find a way of coping with this.

Okay?

[commentatertots]

[Not like Venom stops him, those fingers sinking into the yielding inky blackness, tendrils slithering around his hands.

The sudden wash of anger was surprising, but at the same time entirely gratifying, Venom sinking a bit more securely against his host in response.]

Ours. [A beat, the symbiote almost sheepish.] If you want.

Okay. We'll... we'll figure this out.

[imareporter]

[If you want. Like he can say no. Like he's not painfully aware of Venom at that moment awash in a wave of feeling.

His hands stroke the creature.]

We are Venom.

[He yawns.] It's just...just you and me love.

[His fingers tangled over the symbiote.] And...this thing jesus does it need a host right away? I can't reschedule the interview tomorrow. We have to go to back to the prison.