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Eddie’s living in New York City now, on his own. Across the country from San Francisco, where he once had a life. Far away from Anne and Dan, Mrs. Chen – any person he knew. And now he was in alone in the very city where he said he would start a life with Venom. But now he has to start a life without Venom.
But I need him back, Eddie had said in the hospital, when he was told Venom was gone for good. He had put his hand on his chest, to feel for Venom. Venom – who had wrapped himself around Eddie’s heart, who filled him with purpose, and made him feel less alone. That space Venom had filled was now hollow. Eddie no longer felt panic about Venom being gone, but rather the feeling that a piece had been carved out in his chest, and a heavy emptiness followed him. Eddie was in mourning.
The sergeant’s next words were a stark reminder: “He wasn’t meant for this place. You couldn’t have kept him… and he couldn’t have kept you.”
Venom had survived the explosions from the fight with Riot, why had he not survived this fight? Why had Venom decided to make a selfless sacrifice, to take the xenophages down with him? Why did Venom have to die? And of Eddie’s most recent plaguing thoughts: Why couldn’t Eddie have died with him?
It was months after now, without Venom. Eddie continued living. He moved to the city, saw the Statue of Liberty alone, yet with this clean slate he was offered, he still felt an emptiness he had never felt before.
Eddie missed Venom, no matter how much he complained about the nagging voice in his head. He missed his companion. And along with the emptiness came the depression. He tried to find work in the city but he never left his apartment to do so. His apartment was barren as well, a studio apartment with only the essentials and a small TV. Venom would have liked a flatscreen TV.
There was a ringing at the doorbell. Eddie, who lived in a quiet, vacant part of the city, felt on edge from its sound. He hadn't spoken to another living being for quite some time. He ignored Anne’s texts, and Mrs. Chen’s calls, not wanting to talk to them, not wanting to address the absence of Venom. He only spoke to himself in his head, and got no answer in return.
He answered the door, albeit confused at first. He had not ordered any food or packages, he had not made any friends or given out his address. He had no idea who could be at the door, only hoping that it wasn’t any solicitors he would have to dismiss.
He opened the door to be faced with an empty hallway. He grunted in annoyance, and closed the door – just for the doorbell to ring again. Eddie huffed and opened it. Still he saw eye to eye with no one. Eddie went to shut the door again, only to be stopped by a strong force – something that felt like a door stopper. Eddie couldn’t close the door. What the –? He thought to himself. He looked down where the mysterious door stopper had appeared – to see a black cockroach holding the door open. It was definitely a sight to see such a tiny cockroach hold such a heavy door open with only its tiny leg.
What the fuck, Eddie thought to himself once again. Are New York City cockroaches mutants or something? Finding that he couldn't close the door, he went to pull it open all the way, and the cockroach, as if it were being welcomed, made its way into the studio apartment.
Eddie didn’t have the energy to be scared of an insect most thought of as disgusting. He only felt pity for the creature – it was simply trying to live in the big city as much as anyone else was. Eddie spoke for the first time in a while, to the insect.
“Hey, buddy.” He said to it. The cockroach quirked its antenna at his voice. Its wings started buzzing, and it started flying towards Eddie. “Oh what the fuck–” Eddie muttered aloud, starting to swat at the bug without thinking. He hit the cockroach with the back of his hand, and it fell to the ground on its back, struggling to get up back onto its feet. Eddie walked slowly towards it, peering down at it. He crouched down to get a closer look. Is it dying?, He wondered. Then the cockroach started spazzing out, trying to get closer to Eddie. It flipped itself back onto its legs and started making its way towards Eddie again. The speed with which it was hounding towards him freaked him out. Before the cockroach could climb up Eddie’s foot, he brutally stomped on it. With his bare foot. “Fuck.” He lifted his foot up to inspect under it – there was black goo from the cockroaches’ remains glued to the bottom of his foot. Gross.
Then a voice: “Eddie. You just stepped on me. You killed me.”
It was deep, it was booming, it was familiar. Eddie thought he must be dreaming. The voice coming from inside Eddie’s head repeated itself.
“Eddie!”
Eddie inspected the goo under his foot again, to see it seep into his skin as if it was never there – what the fuck what the fuck?
“Venom?” Eddie asked cautiously. If he hadn't thought he went insane before, he definitely did now. “Buddy, are you here?”
Eddie felt a presence seeping within his skin again, this time surrounding his chest, a comfort that was filling his hollowness.
“Venom! Show yourself!” Eddie demanded, looking around the studio room to see it empty. “Please.” His voice cracked.
Venom materialized outside of Eddie’s body, the familiar snake shape with his white eyes and rows of sharp teeth appearing next to his head, attached from his shoulder as he usually appeared when next to Eddie.
“Hello, Eddie.”
Eddie, in shock, punched Venom. A couple of Venom’s teeth shattered, and his head flew back a bit from the impact. Venom shaked its head and sharp teeth filled back in, replacing the cracked ones. Despite being hit, he smiled widely at Eddie.
“Shit.” Eddie’s knuckles bruised after the impact, but Venom touched his knuckles with a tendril, healing him quickly. Eddie’s eyes opened wildly – looking at the head that had formed out of his shoulder. “Are you real? How are you real? I saw you die. You fucking died –” Eddie started breathing heavily, panic rising, and his voice breaking.
“Eddie, calm down. We are alive. We are together again.”
“How? How?” Eddie demanded. “I mourned you – I thought you were gone forever. I… missed you!”
Eddie felt a sadness pang – not from him but from their shared body, from Venom’s emotions.
“Eddie..missed us?”
“Of course, you idiot! I missed you! You have to know how I care about you. You have to know, don't you, can’t you feel it?” Eddie asked exasperatedly.
“Unsure.” Venom responded, still facing Eddie. "Eddie’s words and Eddie’s thoughts aren’t the same."
“Well, I-I do care about you. I’m just.. So stubborn about my feelings. You’re my best friend in the whole world, remember?”
Eddie ducked his head, closer to Venom, pressing his forehead to Venom’s, breathing in Venom’s presence. Venom bumped his forehead back to Eddie’s playfully.
“Don’t ever fucking do that again.” Eddie admonished him.
“Can’t promise that, Eddie. Need you to be safe.”
“I need you with me. I can't live without you, buddy. You keep me safe.”
“Only got you in trouble. In danger. Mrs. Chen too, and the nice family we met on the road. Only get Eddie and friends in trouble.”
“No, no,” Eddie said. “Despite all that, you wanted to protect us, and so you did. You care about us. You’re….you’re so caring.” Eddie said, pressing his face closer to Venom’s forehead, trying to get closer to the mass with whom he shared a body with.
“Eddie?” Venom questioned, unsure of what Eddie was trying to say.
“Please stay with me. Please say you came here to reunite with me, not to return to Klyntar or go back on the run. Please stay, Venom.”
“Eddie, want to stay with you. Will stay with you. Will keep Eddie safe.”
“And what about the… the codex?”
“We don't have to worry about that right now. Not for a while. We are safe here, Eddie. Safe together. A piece of me was able to escape the acid, and I found you again. I was weak and it took months but we are one again. We belong here, Eddie. Belong together.”
“We do.” Eddie agreed. He cups the snake-head of Venom’s face, rubbing where his cheeks would be, softly. A moment of calm silence passes between the two, until Eddie asks: “Remember when you said you loved me on the beach?”
“Yes.”
“That meant a lot to me.” Eddie spoke truthfully. “That someone who takes a joyride in my body from time to time, cares about me.”
“We are bonded, Eddie.”
“Yeah, we are buddy. I uh, love you too by the way.”
The white milky eyes of Venom’s opened wider, as if his eyebrows that didn’t exist were being raised.
“Don’t act like you don't already know. I know you can….read my thoughts.”
“Eddie’s thoughts are vast and contradicting from his words–”
“Well I mean it.” Eddie interrupted. “I wouldn't want anyone else inside of me.”
Venom made a clicking sound, sounding amused.
“Uh, that came out wrong. Just - just come here.” Eddie, holding onto Venom's face, pulled him closer until Venom’s teeth collided with Eddie’s lips, into an awkward, clumsy kiss.
“Missed you too, Eddie. Like this with you — kissing. Like you.”
“Show me how much you missed me.” Eddie tugged Venom further into the apartment, into his bedroom.
“Eddie is too tired for what we want to do.” Venom said, sinking back inside of his host.
“Then just – just hold me.” Eddie fell back onto his bed, and black tendrils appeared, wrapping around his shoulders, his waist, and his chest; cloaking him in warmth.
“Love holding Eddie.” One tendril slipped into Eddie’s hand, intertwining with his fingers.
“Thank you, love. For coming back to me.” Eddie said softly, his eyes closing from exhaustion. He felt relieved to finally once again feel the comfort and wholeness he had been seeking.
Venom perked up from inside Eddie at the petname. “Love. We are Eddie’s Love.” He said happily.
“Yes, love.” Eddie said, beginning to fall asleep, safe in Venom’s arms. Venom materialized out of Eddie’s body into a more humanoid form, the form he takes when he is in full control of Eddie’s body. He then wrapped his arms around Eddie’s waist, holding him from behind. Venom placed his head on Eddie’s shoulder and spoke into his ear:
“Love you, Eddie.”
Eddie, too tired to speak, replies in his head. Promise to stay with me forever? He felt like a child asking that question to Venom. He thought maybe the symbiote would poke fun at him, but in that moment, Venom was earnest, was soft.
“Promise, Eddie.”
—
“So uh, where did the cockroach I stepped on go?”
“Absorbed it, Eddie.”
“Ew gross. Why take a cockroach from Area 51 all the way to New York?”
“Bonded well with it."
“How well?
“Don't be jealous, Eddie.”
Eddie huffed. “I'm not jealous over a cockroach.”
“Sure,” Venom said with a hint of teasing. “But you killed it so you don't have to worry about that now.”
“It freaked me out flying towards me.” Eddie said, in defense. “You're lucky I didn't kill it as soon as it went inside my apartment.” And I’m lucky you came back to me, Eddie thought.
Venom wrapped a tendril around Eddie's waist. “Will always come back to you, Eddie.”