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When they were separated, Eddie dreamt of uniting again with the Symbiote.
He dreamt of a welcoming darkness surging to embrace him, he dreamt of sheer power in his legs and arms, of the night's cold air on skin that wasn't his own-- and yet it was. He dreamt of his other's presence. Time after time he had opened his eyes to catch the glimpse of a shadow creeping over his naked arm and for a moment he would think, he would hope... Then he would wake up completely and feel the silence into his mind, the lack of a connection. The absence was like an open wound cutting deep into his consciousness, a missing piece he could never stop being aware of.
He grimaced, got up, and went on with his business of the day, while he waited.
Always, he was waiting. Readying himself.
-
The sound of shattered glass, and then they are one and whole, again, at last.
EDDDDDDIE the Symbiote shouts his name in surprise and recognition, and above all with unmistakable relief. But there is no time to savor the reunion as two different beings. There is almost no time to grin when he feels his own eagerness mirrored, refracted, by the Symbiote's, before they are moving as one being again. Venom jumps out of the FBI building's window, into the moonlight, the sound of alarms on their trail. They fall down and rise again, propelling themselves from walls to roofs, faster and higher and faster yet. Impossible to catch and to cage.
-
Missed me, love?
needed you, needed us so much
I know. I'm sorry it took me so long.
-
Being together again. It is bliss.
-
And yet, now, Eddie's nights are plagued by nightmares.
He doesn't always remember them upon waking up, covered in cold sweat, muscles knotted up in painful cramps. But when he does, oh, how they haunt him. Flashes of old enemies, old fights. Fire and screams and anger, a red fury he knows might threat to engulf them even when they are awake and aware. Violence, endless violence, both suffered and craved for.
He has nightmares in which his other hurts him. He has nightmares in which he fails to protect his other, or he is the one to hurt it. Those are the very worst.
-
He wakes up, his jaws clenched and fists balled up in the sheet, he looks around the room, eyes wide open, every sense alert. The dim light from the tv illuminates the small, littered place. Looking up he sees the familiar ink black shape hovering just above his head, a glimpse of bright white fangs. He feels the Symbiote's body crawling over his chest, barely tickling.
eddie?
Lying on his back, Eddie catches his breath. He lifts up a hand and watches the dark tendrils running up his forearm and wrist, curling between his fingers. He places his hand down on his chest, the tentacle flattening over his heart in a caress, and he breathes out in relief. It is all right.
He feels his other's curiosity and concern pull at the back of his mind.
“I'm all right, darling. Just a bad dream.” He sits up, leaning with his shoulders against the wall, and glances at the tv screen where a man and a woman in white coats are yelling at each other. With the audio at minimum, it looks slightly surreal. “...What are you watching?”
doctors' show. an innocent patient is in danger. they are fighting about what is the right thing to do
The man stares at the tv for a few moments. The Symbiote nests itself between his shoulder and neck, its white eyes never leaving the screen. It is really engrossed in the drama, so much that it doesn't even take the opportunity of Eddie waking up to suggest they go out to fight crime, as he would ordinarily do. Eddie reaches up to stroke its face and feels it nuzzle back against his hand, the tip of its tongue darting out to lick his lips, and the affection in the gesture, mirrored by the warmth that surges in their bond, is enough to sweep the last cold shards of the nightmare away, at least for the moment. They enjoy the calm of the night together.
Eddie has swore to himself he will never hurt his other again, not after it trusted him enough to become one with him once more. Not after it loved him back enough to do that. He will keep his word. Through their bond the Symbiote whispers time and time again that it will to do anything to protect him, to protect them, and Eddie knows it tells the truth, and that he is more then ready to do the same.
They will find their new place in the world, as the hero that Venom wants to be. And hell will come loose over those who might try to tear them apart.