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Why are we doing this, Eddie?
It wasn't like Venom were able to understand the basic meaning of Halloween, even after a movie, an Internet quote and an explanation from Eddie. Honestly, he no longer knew whether the alien was lying or simply didn't understand.
What's that?
Candy.
For kids?
Yes, candy for kids.
Even after months of sharing body and mind with a symbiote alien, Eddie was still wondering if everything was real. The endless comments and curiosity to know everything about Earth were a bit annoying. And noisy, God, so noisy. Eddie no longer knew what privacy was; the concept seemed distant.
Sometimes he wondered why he still held on to it. Why not simply separate himself from Venom and burn him down for good?
I can hear you thinking that, Eddie, it's not cool.
Right. Because it was annoying, noisy and no private at all, but it also meant that Eddie was no longer alone. As humiliating and ridiculous as it was.
Why candy? We don't like candy.
No, you don't like candy. And you don't have to, they're not for you.
They're for the kids.
"Yes! Yes, they're candy for kids!" Eddie said out loud, drawing the attention of everyone who was close.
He- They were in the supermarket, making last minute shopping to give candy in a few hours. Eddie had forgotten completely, till one of his neighbors said something about Halloween and how children always showed up in their building.
Now he had several packs of candy and chocolates piled in his arms, drawing attention by screaming alone in the middle of the hall because, of course, he couldn't tell anyone 'I'm sorry, but my parasite likes to ask stupid questions to test my patience'.
Kids are gonna eat this too? It looks tasty.
Eddie had to laugh.
They can not eat that, it's fake spider web. Eddie answered in his head as he took a small packet. We're gonna use this on the door, as decoration.
Sounds boring, Eddie.
Well, it's not like I have time or patience for more than that!
Venom seemed content with the answer. He was silent as Eddie paid for his groceries and took out his bags, walking back home. Even if Eddie wasn't hearing Venom's voice in his head, he still could feel the alien's presence. It was like he could feel what he felt, the curiosity of questions not asked, and the indignation at the meaning of Halloween.
But why spider webs?
It's supposed to look scary... abandoned.
But if it looks abandoned, how the kids are gonna know you're about to give them candy, Eddie?
It's supposed to look abandoned, not to be abandoned.
Like Monster House?
Well, technically the house wasn't really abandoned and it was trying to eat children, but-
Yes, like Monster House. Eddie said, putting spider web at the door.
Obviously, Venom gave his opinion about how the decoration would look better - and that meant he took control of Eddie's body while he tidied up the spider web at the door. After months, Eddie and Venom had already reached the middle ground of when he could and couldn't do that.
Surprisingly, it worked.
Eddie was halfway to start cooking his dinner when the bell rang for the first time.
"Trick or treat!" it were two boys, one dressed like a mummy and one like Iron Man.
You said they would come at night.
It's almost night. And the younger sometimes come earlier.
Talk to the kids and give candy were harder than Eddie was expecting. Mostly because Venom had a lot of comments about their costumes.
He doesn't look like a mummy. I've seen one of these on TV. He isn't even close.
It's a costume. Eddie nodded to the two boys when they left after saying thank you.
But where's the bones and rotten skin?
They're children, Vee, they don't need bones, and rotten skin.
The Iron Man was made of plastic. Does that mean he was the Plastic Man?
No one said that the night wouldn't be long.
Venom had comments about every single kid, but this wasn't even the worst part. When he liked a costume, he simply took control of Eddie's body, and instead of some candy, he would give lots of candy.
They had already lost half of what they had in less than an hour thanks to this system.
That's why he wasn't surprised by the outcome of a particular visit.
She's dressed like us, Eddie.
It was a little girl of no more than five, dressed in what was clearly a Spider-Man suit dyed black, unmasked, and holding a little black witch's cauldron. It was the cutest costume of the night, even if Eddie didn't wanna admit it to Venom - not that it was a secret, since there was no privacy in Eddie's thoughts anymore.
Maybe she isn't.
"Look at you! This is a very nice costume!" he said in the same smooth voice he'd used all night. "What are you, a superhero?"
"I'm Venom!" the little girl said, jumping and stretching her arms toward Eddie, as if she were scaring him. "He's super cool and he scares all bad guys and he always saves everyone."
Technically she wasn't wrong.
I told you, Eddie. Now give her candy.
Not because you're asking.
Eddie already knew Venom would give her more candy than any other kid, so he he went ahead and filled his whole hand, pouring everything into the little cauldron.
More, Eddie.
Honestly... Eddie repeated his move and the girl opened her eyes and smiled even more, if that was physically possible.
More, Eddie.
More, Eddie.
For the fourth time, Eddie had to stop. They would still have to give candy to other children and they were already running out.
"I can't give all the candy, there's more kids coming and there's no way I'm going out to buy more."
The girl seemed to think he was talking to her, there were tears forming in her eyes and a pout on her lips like she was about to start crying.
Damn it.
"It's not you, little one. I promise! Here, more candy. Just... please don't cry."
She's not stopping.
Of course she's not stopping! This is your fault! I made a child cry in the first hour, congratulations, Eddie, this time you really-
Before he could finish insulting himself, the girl swallowed a sob and opened her mouth into a perfect O. Just as she let the jar drop, Eddie saw a black gooey head appeared over his shoulder; much smaller and with fewer teeth than usual. Looks like somebody was learning.
"Hello."
Right, cause that wasn't scary at all.
The girl screamed and Eddie was ready to start explaining to a lady who turned the hall - probably the girl's mother - that it was all a misunderstanding when the little girl started jumping up and talking in a single breath: "You! You are so cool! I've seen all the videos and all the photos! Mom always say you're weird, but you're the coolest! More cool than Spider-Man and Captain America! And everyone laughed because of my costume, but now they'll see, cause you're here! I'll tell all my friends and they-"
"Wait, wait," Eddie said, getting on his knee so he and Venom's head could stay about the same height as the girl. "You can't tell anyone, okay?"
"Why not?"
"Because... it's a super secret, only you and I know. And we don't want all the bad guys to find out where our secret headquarters is, do we?"
More like we don't want anyone to show up and have their head bitten off.
"No! I'll keep your secret, Mr. Venom! You can leave it to me!"
"I'll count on you, miss..."
"Anne!"
Anne, of course her name is Anne.
"Bye, Mr. Venom! I have to go get more candy! Buh bye!" she said, taking out her candy and waving to the two of them, laughing as Venom grinned with pointy teeth.
"So?" Eddie closed the door. "Don't you have any comments on her costume? Nothing about the fabric or the color?"
"It's a costume, Eddie. It doesn't have to be perfect."