Chapter Text
"What kind of shit do you think other versions of us get up to?" Wade had laid their hand out in a way that let Logan grip it as tight as he wanted. They weren't far out from the descent into their first layover, and still the stress of flying hadn't eased off yet. It was going to be a long day.
"I don't know Wade. Probably murder because that's what I want to do to you and everyone on this plane, right now."
"Maybe shouldn't say that so loud, pookie bear," Wade said. "Prefer to not fight an air marshall today."
Logan threw his head back against the seat with a sigh. He knew Wade was trying to distract him. To help in his own way.
"I don't know, babe. Having a hard time thinking." He rolled his head sideways to look at Wade. He was talking to the fucking alien in his head. His mouth moved just a little, forming the general patter of speech without hitting the actual words. He never thought he'd be so annoyed by Wade not talking. Wade noticed him looking at him and flashed him a grin around the edge of his hoodie.
"I can ask the goo more about the versions of us they know?" Wade offered.
"No," Logan snapped back, then immediately held up a hand in apology. "I just think we're better off not knowing." He squeezed Wade's hand. "I think there had to be a version of you in my timeline. I don't know how I never met him. Maybe because I stuck to myself so often. But then I never did get all my memories back from the Weapons X program. Maybe we worked together at the time, and I just don't remember."
"Maybe you killed me. I can see you killing me." Wade threw back some pretzels from the snack pack.
"Feel like you shouldn't be so excited by that possibility."
"It would be an honor to die by your hand," Wade said dramatically. "In fact, I expect you to do the honor when I'm ready to kick it."
"What if I die before you're ready to do that?"
"Yeah, see, that's the point. In that circumstance, on your deathbed, you have to put me out of my misery before you go, so that I don't have to live a second without you."
"That's your plan, is it?" Logan lifted Wade's hand and kissed the top of it.
"Mmhm. Then you'll only have to wait a short time before joining me in hell. It's a win-win."
"Oh, okay. Good to know." He dropped their interlinked hands back to his thigh.
"I think," Wade said, "that there's a universe where we're on a team. Maybe with some other X-Men. Maybe one with that angel-winged asshole."
"Warren? I can't imagine him putting up with you for long."
"Ah, but you see in this version, he's, like, half-evil. So we get along great."
"Okay," Logan agreed. "I'll go on this journey with you."
"Maybe we team up with Captain America? I feel like that would be funny. Maybe something with a werewolf. I just feel like there's a lot of hijink potential we haven't considered."
"What about Cable?" Logan suggested.
"You leave that tall drink of water out of this," Wade gasped. "I'll compromise on a universe where you hook up with Storm because the visual of that in my head is…whoo. That's pretty good."
"Hm," Logan deferred. He wasn't actually sure if he had ever told Wade about his very sexual relationship with his own Storm back in his home timeline. He must have…right? "You know, If it's the same guy, in my reality, Cable's not just a time traveler he's the time traveler. It's a whole thing."
"Hm. You've never mentioned that you knew a version of Cable before." Wade's voice dropped with weight on the edge of that statement.
"Yep. Guess I hadn't."
Logan pulled his hand away. He was going to have to talk about his timeline, at some point. Today wasn't the day.
#####
Logan left him in the terminal with their bags while he went to find a better signal for his cellphone. Wade stretched his legs out over the duffels and tried to find a good angle for a selfie. He found one that was adequately stupid to send to both Laura and Yukio.
Wonder how many versions of these two there are? I'm probably not friends with them.
You aren't. Not with X-23, at least. Not in my reality.
Thanks. Good to know.
You're bothered that he doesn't talk about his timeline.
I thought you could read my thoughts?
Yeah, but you can't read your own so I'm telling you…you're bothered by it.
Well…yeah…he has this whole other life that he doesn't like talking about.
Wade sighed.
But I don't think it really started getting to me until you showed up. I had managed to mostly not think about any of the multiverse and variant stuff. And you just kind of hit me in the face with it.
And you know shit about him that I don't.
I know a handful of things that you don't about another version of him. That's not the same at all. You're building an actual life together. I'm not sure I actually even knew his real name before getting it from your head.
Certainly didn't know what his dick looked like before last night.
Oh, we haven't talked about that at all. I'm afraid to bring it up.
Don't delay that kind of conversation. Sex while having a symbiote is a whole other…thing…
Oh, THAT was an interesting little side thought you had there. Wish I could read your thoughts as well as you can read mine.
Nah, just some stuff with Eddie…
Honestly, that was the most annoying part of my time with Mac. He went through this random hook-up phase when people thought he was Spider-Man.
People thought…he was…nevermind. Keep going.
Well, it's like…it was my body, too. And I couldn't really…it would have been difficult at the time to stop him from doing anything he wanted to do. I had gotten myself into a bit of a precarious position.
He doesn't even know how many of his STIs I wiped out.
Oh shit…you can't do anything about my cancer can you? I never thought to ask.
I looked at it, and no. Sorry.
No. That's okay. Um, sorry if I didn't adequately ask your consent.
Oh, no. You're cool. I was into it. You I do have a certain amount of control over.
As proof, Venom smacked Wade in the face with his own hand.
"Fair point."
"Wade." Logan reappeared with his cell phone out. "Peter was able to get me Eddie's address." The symbiote cringed inside Wade's body. "Storm was also nice enough to book us a hotel room near the airport in San Francisco. We just have to worry about getting there, then getting to Eddie tomorrow."
"Sounds like a plan," Wade said. Yet a horrible feeling of dread swept over him.
There's another symbiotic being here.
They had just gotten off at their second layover after a few uneventful hours in the air.
"There's an alien here," Wade said, leaning into Logan as they moved into the waiting area around the gate.
"Then let's find them before they find us," Logan said back. "Show us, Venom."
Wade gently let Venom take control, guiding his feet through the concourse.
There. At that Chili's Too. Blue shirt.
Blue shirt saw them first, though. Blondish hair, slim build, a general tired feeling to him. His face lit up, though, a sort of soft wonder, when he saw Logan. Then annoyance when he saw Wade.
"Yeah, that's about right," Wade sighed, then they headed directly for the high-top table.
"Alright, kid," Logan said. "You're clearly here for us. What's the deal?" He leaned hard against the table.
"Uh…hi," he said. "I'm Jimmy. And I know this is weird…but I'm from an alternate reality."
"Yeah, that tracks, so far," Wade said.
"Cool. Don't have to catch you up." Jimmy clucked his tongue. "So my universe sort of…died, and I ended up living in another reality. TVA finally got me." He stared at Wade for that one.
"Sorry for whatever the alternate version of me did," Wade said quietly.
I'm sure it was for a good reason. Hopefully. Maybe.
"Anyway…they've uh…" Jimmy kept glancing at Logan, distracted.
"Whatever it is, bub, get through it." Logan tapped with annoyance on the table.
"Yeah I'm trying," Jimmy said. "But James, you're my biological dad in my home dimension."
"I…oh…I'm sorry." Logan clenched his hands. Jimmy popped out the very very ends of some shiny claws then drew them back. "Holy fucking shit." Logan's face lost all its blood, and he dropped down into the high-top chair.
"Sorry for dropping that on you," Jimmy said. "You died before I ever met you. I was Wolverine, myself, actually. Then when I dropped into another dimension where you weren't dead, we never really saw each other. Things were…complicated. This might be the longest conversation I've ever had with a version of you. It's just…freaking me out."
"I'm equally freaked out, if that helps." Logan patted Jimmy on the hand.
"Hm…" Jimmy shook his head. "They'll come for me if I don't do this faster. Okay. I'm in TVA custody. But because I have a symbiote, I can track down others so they're using me for that. Apparently a handful of us…them…got kicked between timelines recently. I've got my theories."
I had a feeling I couldn't be the only one. The hivemind echoes.
"My symbiote isn't surprised by this," Wade said.
"It's Venom, right?" Jimmy asked.
"Uh…yeah…"
"I could sense them. I've met two, at this point. One was a diiiick. The other was pretty okay."
We contain fucking multitudes I guess.
"Okay, so narrow in on what you need from us, Jimmy," Wade said. "What's going on? The TVA isn't ready for the can of whoop-ass I'm ready to open on them, but also I'm tired. Come on."
"The TVA can't see symbiotes when they're with a host." Jimmy opened and closed his hands a few times. "But they also don't really know how to…deal…with symbiotes. Like they got me because my human body was from the wrong universe, even if Poison wasn't. I don't actually know how they totally justify that. I think that's why they've just been keeping me in limbo. They don't actually know where to send me because there's technically kind of two of us."
"You're rambling, Jim," Wade said.
"Yeah, probably." Jimmy pressed his fingers around the bridge of his nose. "Sorry, I'm just…also really tired. Short version, TVA's not going to do anything about the Venom symbiote while they're with you. Especially since it's you. They're sort of afraid of it, actually. And you. Very afraid of you."
I didn't even think about the TVA. That should have been the first thing when multiverse stuff started happening again.
You were distracted. It happens. I don't know anything about them. This is all totally new.
Oh. Something you don't know. That's kinda fun for me.
"But," Jimmy was saying. "They wanted to confirm where you were, that the symbiote was still with you, and for me to convey that they're keeping tabs on you. Now that I've done that…that's…it…I guess." He checked his watch. "They'll come get me in a minute, I'm sure. I missed you a few times already before this. It was actually a version of you in the future that told me to come here, specifically, and wait for you. And before you ask: not telling you anything from your personal future. Spoilers." He very distinctly looked down at their left hands, though.
Good fucking job, Jimmy boy.
"Can I ask you about your dad?" Logan said, some of the color coming back into his cheeks.
"Yeah, shoot." Jimmy leaned on his palm.
"What was he like? Was he a good guy? You said you never met him, but…"
Jimmy nodded.
"Yeah. My mom just sort of…gave me up, but he didn't really know how to raise me on my own either. So he asked a war buddy, my dad, to adopt me. And they were great. And everyone seemed to respect James…you…a lot. So yeah…if that answers the question."
"It does," Logan nodded. "I'm glad you had good parents." Logan sighed. "This fucking time-travel, dimension hopping shit, man. Totally fucked."
"Yeah," Jimmy agreed with a chuckle. A flash of orange appeared in the distance, just around a sharp hallway corner, and Jimmy turned to it sharply. "Have to go. Bye." He paused for just a moment as he jumped down from the chair. With a surge, he rushed forward and wrapped a hug around Logan. Another moment of hesitation, and Logan returned it, patting him on the back.
"Okay, now I really have to go." Jimmy pulled away, jogged toward the back hallway, then disappeared in a flash of orange.
They both stood there, leaning against the high-top.
"You good, peanut?" Wade reached his hand out and dropped it on top of Logan's.
"A son who likes me," Logan said. "Some version of me is doing things right." He curled his hand under Wade's hand. A little well of sadness rose up in Wade's chest, something rolling out from the symbiote. Their presence started pulling back from the surface of his brain.
"I feel like a gir-dad," Wade said to break the tension. "Bet I've got a daughter in some other reality."
"You think?"
"Yeah, I can feel it. We might keep dropping the ball as partners, but I bet we're, collectively, decent dads." He punched Logan in the arm.
"Yeah…" But Logan's agreement didn't go up to his eyes.
#####
The hotel was just a short shuttle ride from the airport, and they rolled up in the middle of the night, drained to their core.
"We don't have to get up super early to go to Brock's tomorrow," Logan said as he moved out of the bathroom. "Probably better to wait until the afternoon, actually. More likely to be home. And they're going to send the jet for us in a few days. Cheaper than a commercial ticket. Also gives us a chance to keep monitoring things with Brock if they go weird."
He glanced toward the bed to get Wade's response just to find him completely conked out, clothes still on. Logan went to unbuckle his pants before remembering the symbiote.
"How much of this is you?" Logan asked.
Black mass pulled away from Wade's body, taking everything but boxers and an undershirt with it. It formed into a small body shape at the head of the bed.
"I'll make him wear regular clothes tomorrow," Venom said.
"Did you knock him out, again?"
"He was tired, but wouldn't admit it. His brain is working overtime, and he needs more rest than before. He doesn't really sleep, to begin with, though, does he?"
"Neither of us do." Logan sighed. He crawled into bed and leaned against the headboard. "Are you keeping him from having nightmares?"
"Yeah. The PTSD is a fuck in here, but I got 'em."
"Thanks." Logan bit at his fingernail nervously. He kept thinking about Jimmy. About this other version of him that willingly gave up his own son for a better life. A son that never got a chance to meet him. Never got a chance to hate him. "Did I have a kid in your reality?"
"Yeah, three. One that hates you and your two with Morph."
"So I had a Daken in your reality."
" You have a Daken." Venom tsked. "Wade doesn't know. Why doesn't your fiance know you have a fucking son ?"
"Because I didn't know he existed until he tried to kill me. And as far as I know, he thinks he succeeded. So I don't have a son. I just have this…guy running around with half my DNA in a different reality."
"That's fucked up. And I've eaten people, so I know fucked up."
"I'll take that under advisement," Logan clucked. "What about my kids with Morph? What about them?"
"They…exist? I don't…we're not friends in our reality, you and me. I was pals with Daken, if anything. We were on a team together. I only know about you and Morph having kids because the first time it was in the literal newspaper. Morph grew a uterus and ovaries. It was actually really cool."
"So they really are our kids. Wow."
"Yeah, two little freakos kicking around. I don't know anything about their powers, though. Sorry."
"No, just knowing that we've got that little family happening is…nice. I don't think I want to know anything else. Feel like something bad is always waiting, and I'm happier pretending that thing never hits."
"Can I ask what happened to your Morph? Or is that…is that too sore a spot?" Venom laid their head on Logan's knee, looking up at him.
"Dead," Logan said curtly. "Long time ago. We were on a mission, and they got left behind enemy lines. You uh…have a Mr. Sinister in your reality?"
"Yeah, but I never had a run in with him personally."
"Yeah, well…We rescued Morph eventually, but they were never the same. I knew what PTSD looked like even then, and I should have been paying closer attention. Shouldn't have left him alone long enough to do it. Too caught up with this…stupid shit with Jean. And if they loved me enough in your reality to marry me, then what about mine? Did they have feelings for me there, and I just never noticed? Did I make it worse?"
"You can't blame yourself for their suicide," Venom said softly.
"And why not? Why not if it's partly my fault? It's my fault all the rest of the X-Men are dead. I wasn't there for them. All the therapy in the world won't change that. It's just learning to deal with it." Logan looked down. He hadn't realized he had started stroking the alien's head, absently. It was soothing, so he kept at it. "They were one of the people I looked up when I jumped realities. Dead here, too. Never recruited by Chuck. Never joined the X-Men. Looks like they kept their powers on the down low. You know what got them? Fucking cancer."
"Fucking cancer," Venom agreed. "Fuck that shit. Feel like everyone's always getting cancer. Makes for a terrible host."
"Not a complaint from my perspective." He flicked the side of the symbiote's head, and they clucked at him. "Why'd you say fiance a minute ago?"
Venom blinked at him as they raised their head. The tiniest of smirks lifted on the edge of their mouth.
"Mmmhm. Did I? Didn't even notice. I'm just using the words that Wade thinks." The alien started slithering back across the bed.
"Now what the fuck does that mean?" But Venom had retreated into Wade's body already.
#####
Eddie's townhouse was in a mid-priced neighborhood that had been gentrified within the last decade. There was direct ground-floor access, but they had to move through a small courtyard first. Some kind of shared space with the other units.
He's making some kind of money, I guess.
No idea what cost of living is like here, but it's not bad.
Wade knocked gently on the door. A long time passed before there was sound on the other side. Another long time before it was close enough to the door to have the shape of an actual human being on the other side.
"Can I help you?" Eddie's voice was rough and crackling on the intercom.
"Um. I don't even know where to begin. Shit." Wade rested his head against the door. It opened on him, causing him to fall forward.
"Well that's certainly worth opening the door for, at least." The man on the other side was sort of soft but big, like he had been muscular at one point, but lost some of it to fat over the years. Like he could probably still kick your ass, but he might feel it the next morning. His blond hair had grayed in a handsome way, but his beard was a little thin, failing to hide a bit of wanness in his cheeks.
I love him I love him I love him.
Calm down, bud.
I know.
Eddie Brock crossed his arms over his large chest.
"You guys are giving super-powered vibes. Need a journalist for a fluff piece?" He raised an eyebrow. "Or maybe a hit piece…"
"Can we come in and talk about it?" Logan asked after Wade froze.
"Can't really stop you." Eddie gestured them inside.
Petey didn't tell him we were coming. That's a plus for the guy.
They drifted through a small living room into a dining space. Eddie nodded to a table with four chairs that clearly only ever used one. The kitchen was just beyond and an open staircase led to a loft above them. The space wasn't barren but it had a Single Dude sense to it. Lots of grays and blacks against cream walls, plants and vintage movie posters adding a little sense of color. A picture of him and a blond woman was the only truly personal touch, something Wade noticed in passing on the way to the kitchen table.
Anne. His wife. She's not here. In my reality she killed herself. Ask him if she's alive.
"No, I think maybe we need to just do this. Rip off the bandaid."
"What's that?" Eddie asked and he took his seat. Logan nodded at him. Wade sighed.
"I've got a parasitic alien living inside me, and we came all this way because it wants to talk to you."
"Okay, so an interview. Okay." Eddie tapped his fingers on the table. "Let me go get my notebook."
Eddie.
The symbiote dropped down from his shoulders to sit cross-legged on the table.
"Holy shit," Eddie hissed.
"I came from another universe. In that universe, I'm bonded to you. You're my host. Or, you were."
"Okay. Alright. Wha-okay." Eddie stared at the symbiote, something familiar flashing in his eyes.
"Yeah, it takes a minute," Logan said. "In my universe I'm already acquainted with this particular alien, so…"
"So…you're from another universe, too," Eddie said slowly. "W-we can do that now? Is that…like…a mutant thing? I don't mean that to be offensive, I'm just genuinely processing a lot right now." Eddie's fingers were dug hard into the tabletop now.
I've been so knee-deep in the shit I forgot what this must look and feel like from the outside. Man, this guy is actually dealing pretty goddamn well.
Eddie took in a deep breath, held it, then let it out slowly and deliberately.
Oh, this man therapies.
"So I'm your host in another dimension. You're now in this dimension, but you're now attached to this dude. Is there a reason the other dimension version of me didn't come with you? Am I dead? Did the cancer get me?"
"Oh shit do you also have cancer?" Wade perked up in question then reached across the table for a fist bump. "Cancer buddies." Eddie returned the fistbump with enthusiasm.
"Went from terminal to full remission," Eddie said. "Experimental drug trial out of Parker Industries. Literally .5% percent outcome."
"Oh, I didn't qualify for any of those. Went the experimental super soldier mutagenic serum route. Do not recommend it."
"What happened to Anne?" Venom snapped, cutting through the conversation.
"Annie?" Eddie blinked. "Wow, okay. I guess you do know some alternate version of me. Um. Short answer is divorced. Long answer is back in New York, I got real up my own ass on this serial killer story, the sin-eater. The whole investigation was a nightmare. Trial was worse. Then a bunch of other stuff. And she stuck with me through the cancer, but it turned me into a fucking asshole in the process. Worst version of myself. The opioid addiction was her last straw, and honestly I'm surprised she lasted as long as she did. Clean now, but, you know. Not really fit to bring someone else into this mess again."
"Hey, you're worthy of being loved, bub." Logan cupped Eddie's shoulder and gave him a shake. Eddie patted Logan's hand.
"Eh." Eddie nodded to the symbiote who had been listening intently. "What about alternate-version me?"
Venom blinked.
"Um. Hm. The sin-eater thing in my reality was way worse. Anne left you and you tried to off yourself."
"Yeah, okay," Eddie nodded. "I struggled with that, too."
"I found you literally as you were about to pull the trigger, and I kept you from going through with it. Then surprise! You had terminal cancer!" Venom clicked their teeth. "I kept you alive for years past your expectancy. We did so much shit together. I spawned six offspring."
Jesus.
"Christ on a cracker," Eddie echoed.
"But cancer caught up with us. I feed off the chemicals of my host, and yours were haywire. We both became the worst versions of ourselves. It was terrible."
Logan coughed pointedly, and Venom flicked to him.
"We killed people," they said sharply. "And those we didn't kill, we hurt. Badly. You had a crisis of faith, decided you couldn't take it anymore. You wanted to let it all end, but you knew I wouldn't let that happen. So you sold me to the highest bidder and gave the money to charity. Forced me to unbond"
"That feels kind of fucked up." Eddie pressed a crease between his brows. "You'd think I would let you just pick someone new."
"I mean, I did pretty much immediately kill the guy you sold me to. So. Found this other guy who was an absolute shitheel, but that was exactly what I was looking for at the time. He gets recruited by the US government for a hit squad, though. So I'm still killing people, but it's sanctioned. Went through a hookers and blow stage. Find out your cancer was cured through more magical means. He tries to kill me. Then the US government kidnaps me, gives me to another guy. But that guy is an actual decent-ass human being. So we're killing people for the US government still, but it's…different."
"I want to ask how many people you've killed, and how many of those were with me," Eddie said. "But I feel like I'm not going to like that answer."
"You won't," Logan said.
"Anyway," Venom continued. "Blah blah government agent. Then I back to my homeworld. That sort of fixed me. It's complicated. Came back to Earth. Left my host. Found a new host named Lee, and that guy was an actual monster. But I needed to stay hosted or I'd die. Not ready to do that, yet. So I got him to go find you. Maybe I could convince you to take me back now that we're both better.
"Turns out you'd remarried. It was a woman we had known while living in San Francisco, actually. Here, I guess. So I knew, at first, she wouldn't want to share you, but I got so close to convincing you to take me back. I thought if I told you about Anne's baby…" Venom stopped short.
You didn't tell me about a baby, dude.
"It wasn't relevant, at the time, Wade." Venom turned on him with a snap and growled. The alien swung back around to Eddie. "In my world, Anne had your baby before she died. I knew, but I never told you. Things were too complicated at the time. You didn't like that I knew about a baby but didn't know where it was. It kind of…destroyed any possibility of us being anything again."
Venom turned sideways back to Wade, keeping Logan in sight, as well.
"That's why I didn't want to come find him. I've already ruined everything so many times. I couldn't do it again."
The alien turned vaguely back to Eddie but still didn't look him in the eye.
"When Lee got himself shot doing something terrible and reckless, I just let him stay shot and used the chance to escape him. Went slithering around, ended up in this basement lab of the Baxter building. They were running what looked like particle beam tests, and I just sort of…jumped into it. Seemed faster and less painful than starving to death. I don't know what happened, but I ended up drawn back into the hive mind before getting spit out here. On a version of this planet that's never had symbiotes before. Not even sure if we exist in this reality."
Eddie had been nodding through the story, linking and unlinking his fingers in quick succession.
"Okay, so let me circle back to why you've come to find me," he said slowly.
"They can't stay with me," Wade replied.
"I can't. He's unstable mentally and physically. He was only supposed to be temporary."
"This world doesn't know how to deal with symbiotes," Logan added. "They need to go to someone stable and predictable."
"Predictably villainous it sounds like," Eddie said.
"A lot of our more…aggressive motivation…came from our beef with Spider-Man. I'm past that, at this point."
"Who's Spider-Man?" Eddie asked.
"And that's the other part," Wade pointed out. "A villain without their matching hero is just some fucked up little guy. The world can handle another fucked up little guy."
"I mean, I am already a fucked up little guy…so…" Eddie shrugged. "What's your plan if I say no?"
"You don't get to say no," Logan growled, his hands moving to the top of the table and making space for claws to emerge. Venom curled back away from him.
"Logan. Honey baby." Wade held up his hands. "Calm down sugar tits. We're not gonna fucking slice and dice him." Wade turned back to Eddie. "Forgive him. He's a little freaked out about this whole alien thing. Bad experiences. The answer is we don't know. There are a handful of other people who've been symbiote hosts in other timelines. They're next on the list."
Wade sighed and let his shoulders collapse.
"But you two have something special. I can sense it in the connection. I think it's something you should seriously consider."
Eddie folded his hands over each other flat on the table. Several times he moved his jaw to say something but never formed the sounds. Venom growled and clicked into their words.
"Eddie, let me join with you. Just a moment. Let me share a slice of our life together. If I don't leave when you tell me to, Wolverine knows how to force me out. Please."
Eddie lifted his hand out.
"Okay. I literally have nothing to lose."
The transition was quick but horrific. Like, in one fell swoop, his insides were becoming outsides, then back to insides again. Then it was all over, the only thing left behind the same hollow feeling that came from vomiting all night.
Eddie leaned over the table like he was about to lose his insides himself.
"Almost as bad as the chemo meds," he said quietly. "Everyone…um…be quiet for a minute." Eddie pressed his forehead to the table, locking his fingers around the back of his neck. Wade lifted from the table to drag Logan across the first floor into the living room. He leaned into Logan, spreading his arm around his lower back.
"Just give them a minute. I saw their relationship in my head. I think it'll work."
"I saw their relationship in real life. It better. If Venom's going to be sticking around, I need it to be a version I can deal with."
"Oh my god. Holy shit." Eddie shot up from the chair, shot a straight line into the kitchen then back again. "Oh my god. Oh my god." He was crying. Sobbing.
"Eddie, buddy?" Wade asked.
"Sorry, no. It's fine. It's just…it's years of memories and emotions all at once. And they're just…it's a lot. The other version of me would have had time to process everything." Eddie tried to sit on the couch but just got up again to move.
"Was this what it was like for you?" Logan asked.
"No, but then they weren't sharing a whole-ass life with me."
"What did you do to Anne?" Eddie hissed. Wade went to answer before he realized Eddie wasn't actually talking to them. He was turned in on himself eyes glazed, palms pressed to his temples.
"You know what I'm talking about. After the phone thing. When she hosted you." Eddie smashed his hand into the wall, and the plaster collapsed under his fist. "It's your baby. You put your baby in her, you piece of shit. No wonder, I didn't want you." He was pulled to his knees and splayed out like he was being trapped there. "Then show me what I'm supposed to understand. How do you justify that?" His fists found the floor, but didn't go through it like they had the wall. Eddie paused in his kneeling position, his whole body freezing. He stood.
"There's another alien nearby. It feels like a symbiote, but--"
A TVA door opened in the middle of Eddie's apartment.
"Oh fuck this," they all three…four…said at the same time.
#####
Logan snagged the first armed agent when they came through the portal, claws through their torso. Had Jimmy been lying? It didn't matter. The TVA didn't open on top of you without bringing an issue.
"Eddie, they're probably here for the symbiote." He tossed the agent through the window into the courtyard outside, then jumped through after.
"Dude, my window!" Eddie complained. But Venom followed him outside, form black and heavy and set with long, sharp teeth. Wade was behind them, throwing another agent to the street.
Then the doors started following them outside, opening in a circle around them. Another geared up agent emerged. Venom was faster this time, one of their now massive hands picking up the agent around the waist then flinging them across the courtyard into a bush. The moans implied he was still alive. Then another and another, Venom all gnashing teeth and clashing claws as he tore through agent after agent.
"Stop! Stop stop stop!"
An agent appeared, unarmed, clad in a brown suit, holding his hands up as he inched closer to the middle of the circle.
"Please stop, everyone."
Venom turned on the agent.
"You're not taking them!" they growled, monstrous voice to match a form that had grown even larger with rage.
"You're right! We're not! We kinda…can't…um…we just wanted to talk to the…klyntar."
Venom's body pulled back a little, finding a more normal size. Eddie's face emerged from the black matter.
"Talk. They're listening."
"We came up with an idea. We can take you back to your universe. You don't have to stay here." The agent in brown held up his hand. "You can bond to me, and I'll carry you through. You won't be in a cage. I'd be trusting you not to kill me from the inside, so you'd have the upper hand."
"No." Venom answered immediately. "They're mine now. They're staying."
"Okay okay." Said the man in brown. "Okay. Well. If you change your mind, we'll be around. Jimmy." This was the first time he appeared, peeking out from behind one of the doors.
"They brought me in case they needed to really throwdown," Jimmy said absently.
"Yeah, well, you can go ahead and go back to HQ. We're all going." The man in brown backed up toward the door, hands still raised. He grabbed Jimmy's wrist as he slipped back through the passageway.
"Bye Da--" Jimmy's voice cut-off as all the doors blinked out of existence.
They breathed a beat of silence.
"We should have talked to them before attacking," Venom said flatly.
"That's on me," Logan said.
"When the TVA just…shows up…it's not usually to negotiate. We had no idea. It's their own fault." Wade wiped blood off his sword before tucking it away. "That was a real quick change up there, bud. You were pissed at the lil' guy just a minute ago."
"You felt the power they give you," Venom? Eddie? snapped. "There can't be anything like this in the whole universe. This ability to rip and tear." They paused, looking at their hands. "And they love me. Oh you should feel it. I've never been loved like this. We can get through the other stuff." Venom pressed his hands to his chest then looked at Wade. "I feel like I want to eat…organ meat. Brains. Did you feel that?"
"Oh, I always feel that way," Wade replied. "I didn't think that was the symbiote."
Eddie smirked and nodded.
"I'm…I'm gonna go for a run." Venom reformed over Eddie's face. They lifted their arm, matter shot out to the roof of the building, then they were gone.
Wade turned to the townhouse next to them.
"Is he just gonna leave his window like that? Whatever. Let's go."
Logan kept staring up at the edge of the roof. Wade wrapped his hand around his.
"Give them a chance. Everyone deserves that much."
"Maybe. Sure." Logan sighed. "I've got a place I wanted to take you."
Fort Point was just below the Golden Gate bridge, and they worked their way up to one of the viewing areas on the roof. It wasn't a busy day, and he was able to find them an area off in the corner away from any other tourists.
"Interesting choice for a romantic date, ground bear," Wade said. His hand rested loosely within Logan's as they leaned against the top of the battlements. "Love me some old run down buildings."
"Yeah, well, that's the point. This is a civil war fort. I'm older than this building." Logan spread his fingers out to indicate the architecture around them. "I want that information to be in your head when I ask you what I'm about to ask you. I need you to see what you're getting into. That my history is as long and old and broken as this run-down old fort."
Wade lunged forward, slamming his mouth against Logan's, hands hooking through his belt loops to pull their hips together.
"Ye--" Wade began to say before Logan pressed a hand across his mouth.
"Now look, I had this whole speech. Practiced and everything. Let me do it." He lifted an eyebrow at Wade who nodded. Logan lowered his mouth. Underneath, Wade had pressed his lips tight together. Logan took up Wade's hands in his.
"When we…now what I was going to say seems stupid. Fuck. Hold on. Give me a second." Logan pressed his forehead to Wade's, took a deep breath, then leaned back again.
"Something about this symbiote stuff just…pushed me, you know? There are all these versions of me. And all these versions of you. And these variations on what our lives could look like. Yet it was you who walked into my bar, and we made…whatever this is together. And I don't know if I think marriage actually means anything, anymore. But for how long I've already been alive and how much longer we'll both probably live, I would be severely disappointed if I didn't get to spend a chunk of that time at least trying to be your husband." Logan sighed again, pressing his thumbs to the top of Wade's hands. Wade was still pressing his lips tight. "You can say something, now."
Wade rolled forward again, cupping his jaw and devouring his mouth with kisses.
"You can absolutely be my husband, you crusty old man," Wade said. The chaste kisses turned ravenous and hungry, and Wade's hands drifted down to grip Logan's ass.
"Babe, we're in public." Logan didn't push him away, though, gripping his hands around Wade's hips.
"Then the public's going to get a show," Wade growled into Logan's mouth. Wade pushed Logan up against the wall of the fort. He was frenetic, hands scrabbling for anatomy through their jeans.
"Wade, if you wait until we get back to the hotel we can really go at it." Logan worked his lips across Wade's jaw. That probably wasn't helping the situation. Wade broke away enough to rest his forehead in the crook of Logan's neck.
"Ugh…fiiiiiiinnneeee."
#####
The cold metal of Logan's claw ran between his spine and the fabric of his shirt, basically disintegrating it from the back.
I liked that shirt, oh god fuck--
Logan pinned him up against the wall of their hotel room, lifting him under the ass until his legs were around Logan's waist. Wade scrabbled at Logan's shirt, ripping it at the seams a little as he wrangled it over his head. Their lips connected again on the other side of the struggle. Another rip meant Logan had shredded through the seat of his pants, as well, and he hadn't even needed his claws for it. Wade slipped his hand between them, and unzipped Logan's jeans. They ground against each other, cocks getting harder and wetter as both their hips bucked and swayed in tandem.
They swung out from the wall and Logan dropped him bodily on the bed. Logan's voice was just a series of grunts as he climbed out of his pants, then across the bed to meet him. His body was up under Wade's again within a minute, pulling him close and wrapping Wade's legs around his waist.
body on body
flesh on flesh
where do I end and he begins?
They were so close, intertwined, pressing as hard as two bodies could into the same space.
Wish I could crawl inside his skin.
Like an alien parasite…oh god…this is how they felt oh shit.
Logan pressed his teeth into Wade's shoulder hard enough to draw blood. Then again, pulling a whine from the bottom of Wade's throat.
"God that feels so fucking good when you do that. Fuck ." Wade panted and bit his bottom lip. "I feel like there's something here about repressed Mormon vampires, but I just…I can't find it, right now."
Logan shut him up properly with his mouth over Wade's. His own blood dripped down languidly against his tongue. Logan pulled away to cast another line of kisses along his jaw.
"Where did you pack the stuff?" Logan growled into his skin.
Love that you always assume I've packed it. I mean I always do. So…
"Toiletry bag, top of my duffel. Right there."
It was just next to the bed, and Logan was able to dig inside without moving too far from their intertwined conformation. They only had the patience for a few moments of preparation before Logan pressed inside him, crushing him up against the headboard. Every thrust up into his body knocked his head and shoulders against the cheap facade with a hollow thunk . Logan just pressed him tighter and tighter into a smaller and smaller space, peppering Wade's neck and jaw with toothy kisses. Logan's stomach pressing against his cock created enough friction to carry him higher and higher as their bodies ground and writhed against each other.
I want more.
I need more.
"Logan let me do something," Wade said. Logan groaned back in the affirmative. It was only possible because their bodies were already so close together. He slid a hand down Logan's back, over his ass, then pressed the knuckle of his thumb against Logan's entrance. Instead of pushing further in, he spread his finger along Logan's taint and massaged.
Logan flinched slightly, not expecting it, then eased back into Wade's hand.
"Oh that's good," Logan said. "Should have brought one of the toys."
Wade raked his teeth against Logan's neck.
"No, I want to feel you, myself."
Inside. Pulling me in. Closer closer closer.
Wade dug the nails of his unoccupied hand into Logan's thigh, breaking through layers of skin with a pop. Thrusts became a gyrating rotation as they pushed and pulled against each other, the headboard slamming into the wall in a hard rhythm.
"Harder," he hissed into Logan's ear, not sure if it was possible. It was. The plaster of the wall behind the bed cracked, dust falling into his hair. The wooden facade splintered, sharp edges pressing in Wade's skin.
"Do you want the claws?" Logan's voice faltered with the effort.
"No," Wade groaned back. "No, I just want you. Don't want to hide behind the pain anymore." The hand that had sunk into his thigh, lifted to wrap up in Logan's hair, pressing their faces together again, demanding more and more and more.
The tension broke with a cascading climax that forced his entire body to clench around Logan's. Logan came at the same time with a tight, rumbling snarl, pressing their bodies against the headboard until neither of them could breathe. They stayed pulled up against the head of the bed, panting against each other. When Logan finally collapsed, he rolled sideways, bringing Wade with him.
He pulled himself to the edge of the bed, reached over, then returned with a small black box. Wade lifted himself to lay across Logan's chest and stomach.
"Give me your hand." He slipped a gold-toned silicone band onto Wade's finger, then handed Wade a matching one in red metallic. He offered his hand, and Wade mimicked the gesture. Wade threaded his fingers through Logan's and brought their hands up into the air staring at the pair of rings.
red and yellow
Logan kissed the space behind Wade's ear.
"I figure we can get proper matching wedding bands together later."
"Nah, these are perfect," Wade replied. He dropped their hands and turned his head sideways to look up. "I love you, Logan Howlett."
Logan hummed a chuckle.
"I love you Wade Wilson."
Logan Wilson…Wade Howlett…
I mean, Logan doesn't even really like his name, but Logan Wilson sounds like the third best tax assessor in a mid-size city.
But I'm not about to give up that sick alliteration.
Wade Wilson-Howlett.
That's not bad.
wade.
"You sunofabitch, where are you?" Wade shot up in bed, pulling his blanket to his chest. Logan was already up, prepared to jump out of bed but not moving yet, head twitching as he sniffed the air. It wasn't particularly late, but they had conked out early and the night was settled in.
Venom was sitting on the railing of their tiny hotel balcony, four stories up. Eddie's face from the top of the matter looked a little haggard, already, but he seemed generally in a good mood.
"Can we talk?" they asked. "If not, that's cool." Wade considered the space between them for all for a minute. Logan was poised, ready to jump forward with a slice. Venom's hands were tight around the railing, body leaning back, ready to fall away down the side of the building to escape. They weren't here to fight.
Wade wrapped the blanket around his body and moved to the door. Logan draped the sheet around his waist and kept close behind.
"What do you need goo-boy?" Wade asked.
"The alien wanted to thank you. They would do the little…head thing…and do it themselves, but they said they're 'settling in.' I wanted to thank you, too."
"For putting an alien parasite inside you?" Logan asked gruffly.
"For giving me something to live for again," Venom said. "For introducing me to someone who loves me so deeply."
Logan moved closer to Wade, pressing his hand to his lower back.
"If something feels…weird…you can tell us. We're not going back to New York for a couple of days."
"No! We're good." Venom dropped down onto the balcony. "We feel great!"
Wade reached out and put a hand on Venom's shoulder, trying to reach the Eddie underneath.
wade, don't say something stupid
"How can I still hear you?" Wade said out loud.
"Residual psychic link. The other says it'll fade, especially with proximity." Venom nodded their head amicably.
"Okay, well…just…I've been through this kind of thing twice, suddenly having power I didn't have before. First with the serum that turned me into an avocado's ballsack, second time when I had that little guy inside me. It fucks with you. Don't lose yourself in it. You may have a tagalong, but you're still Eddie down in there somewhere."
"Not when we fully bond," Eddie said darkly. "When my mind is fully opened to them, there won't be an Eddie and the other anymore. There'll just be Venom. Only Venom. A being of power greater than the sum of our parts. Something that will stamp out evil and injustice at its root." Venom tilted their head down. "More than you were ever capable of giving them."
"O-okay, bud." Wade pulled his hand from their shoulder.
"You don't know what this kind of love is like. The power it gives you."
"Eddie," Logan said, "I don't think you're hearing yourself. This is the thing that Wade's talking about."
"We're not Eddie!" they growled. "You'll see what our love can do. How we'll change the world for the better…by force if we have to." Venom's stygian body fell backward over the railing and disappeared into the night.
oh fuck…well….
Logan shut the balcony door, and leaned against it.
"I think we accidentally created a super-villain."
Wade found himself grinning. He couldn't help it. This had all gone so stupid so fast, and there was nothing to be done about it.
Oh, we don't know love like theirs? Oh buddy. Oh guy.
He held Logan's hands at his waist and pecked him on the lips.
"Every villain needs a hero, right? Then who better than some fucked up little guys like us."