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Living with a suit that also was a living being was both more dangerous and more safe than living without one. More dangerous because they had powerful enemies that wanted them dead. But more safe because they were together, they could watch each other’s back and the suit was pretty strong against most things.
Right now it was keeping watch over their host. Eddie was sleeping in their bed. He had gone tired of always waking up with a kink in his neck after sleeping on the sofa so he had moved the TV and put it in front of the bed instead. The symbiote didn’t mind, now they didn’t have to drag their body to the sofa after Eddie had fallen asleep and they wanted to watch late night TV shows.
The TV was turned off now though. The symbiote had been dragged from their morning cooking show by a noise outside their door. They were living in an apartment, they were used to a lot of noises, but this one had been different. They were sure that someone was outside. They had been lazyly sprawled out over Eddie’s body, half a mind on the TV and the other half if they would be able to get to the fridge without waking their other up. Eddie had been tired lately, their night job was taking a toll on him but he kept insisting that he wanted to be part of it, that he wanted to be Venom, the friendly neighborhood goo. That at least somewhat sounded better than “I’m out working with my parasite”.
Now, the symbiote was on high alert. They had turn the TV off, focusing on the potential intruders at the door. They were ready to any second wrap themself around Eddie.
But then they caught a hushed sentence from outside, “I found it” . And the symbiote relaxed, ripples formed in their body when they sank deeper into their host. They knew that voice, not enemy, friend.
When Anne opened the door to the small one-room-apartment the symbiote had almost nearly fully disappeared into Eddie, only letting a small head poke out of his shoulder.
Both she and Dan froze in the doorway, slightly caught of guard by the weird sight.
The symbiote just watch them slightly guarded but also with interest. Anne had a key in her hand, Eddie had given it to her after they move into their current home, just in case, he had said.
Dan had something in his hands. They didn’t know what it was, but it smelled delicious.
Anne put her finger to her lips. Eddie had told them that meant to be quiet. They applied for now, watching as Anne quietly tipped towed away to the kitchenet. Dan was close behind her, eyeing them back suspiciously. They gave him a smile, Eddie said that it’s friendly to smile at people. Dan did not seemed to like it.
The symbiote could not figure out what they were doing. They took something out of a bag and put on the counter. They were secretive, whispering between each other and rustling with things. Eddie was awake now, they knew, but he pretended to be asleep. Odd, didn’t know what was going on.
Eddie?
Eddie pretended to not hear them, they could feel it, see a small smile tugging at his lip. The symbiote guessed that meant they were safe. It didn’t go poking in his mind to find out more but they still felt a simmer of happiness from him for some reason.
The delicious smell was spreading in the room and the symbiote started to stretch out as much as it could without losing connection with their host. They clung to Eddie’s hand, let themself pour down over the edge of the bed and then slowly creep over the floor. They shot out small tendrils and dragged them steadily towards the kitchenet. They crawled up a lamp just next to the threshold of the separation from the rest of the room, and clung to it, wanting to go further but didn’t want to risk ripping themself from their host, it would be uncomfortable for them both.
It was some sort of… pastry? The thing from the bag. Round, dark brown and soft looking. Anne put a stick on it.
“Oh god, it crawled out.” Dan suddenly said when he spotted the symbiote.
“Shh, don’t wake Eddie yet.” Anne reprimanded him and smiled apologetic towards the symbiote.
She picked up a lighter and set flame to the stick on the pastry.
The symbiote hissed at her and showed their teeth.They was stretched too thin to make themself bigger and more intimidating. They did not like this, not fire, Anne was supposed to be friendly.
“Oh, hush you big baby, it’s just a candle.” She said and rolled her eye at them when she walk past the lamp.
The symbiote quickly went back to Eddie, put themself over him, poked him in the ribs to alert him of the oncoming danger.
Eddie!
Eddie just ignored them again while Anne and Dan started to sing. That was so odd. They did not understand why they would do that.
They approached the bed, still singing, and put down the fire next to Eddie. Eddie finally moved, pretending that they had just woken him up. And for some reason, smiled at them even if they tried to burn them alive.
“Happy birthday! Make a wish!” Anne exclaimed happily.
“It’s okay love, they are not going to harm us. It’s a birthday cake.” Eddie said noticing the distress from his other while tiredly rubbing his face.
Birthday?
“Yes. A celebration. To celebrate that I was born and that I have become a year older.”
Don’t like the fire, Eddie. Why is there fire?
“It’s a tradition. I make a wish and blow the candle out. Hopefully the wish come true.” Eddie said with a smile, sitting up.
The symbiote gathered themself together on his shoulder, contemplating what he had said.
What do you wish for? they finally asked.
“I can’t say that, if I do, that would mean it won’t happen.” Eddie mumbled laughing.
The symbiote looked at the candle, then at the others. They had that weird look they got whenever Eddie and them talked with each other. Eddie said that was because they could not hear them, just Eddie, and that it was confusing for them.
Eddie was thinking, then he bended them forwards, towards the candle. The symbiote freaked and trew themself further away on Eddie’s body. He apologetically petted their head while he blew the candle out.
He did not say what he wished for, but they could see it. It was a good wish, they wanted Anne back too.
“Come on, get dressed and let’s eat.” Anne said and took the cake.
Why did she take it away if we was going to eat it, Eddie? Everything was confusing.
“You know how I sometimes say we should use plates and utensils? Well, that is extra important if you have guests.”
Eddie got up from the bed to follow the cake to the kitchenet. He was just wearing boxers but Anne had said get dressed so the symbiote quickly wrapped themself around Eddie and shaped themself after his favorite clothes. It was just some grey baggy sweatpants and a hood but they knew Eddie liked this one in the morning, like to snuggle up with them if he was not late for work. The symbiote was always bored after a night’s sleep, Eddie never woke up too late for work.
“How handy.” Anne commented when she saw that Eddie dressed himself in his other instead of going for something in the closet.
The symbiote formed eyes and mouth on the front of the clothes and smiled at her.
Eddie sat down at the kitchen table and Anne put down a big piece, practically a quarter of the cake, in front of them.
“Is this chocolate? That’s so nice of you.” Eddie beamed at Anne after having a proper inspection of the cake.
”Aw, thank you. I do remember that your favorite use to be vanilla strawberry but that it did change after a certain somebody entered your life.” she answered and put down an eighth of the cake for Dan.
Look Eddie, Dan’s piece is much smaller, she likes us more.
“Or She knows I eat for two, Love.” Eddie the buzzkill answered putting a piece in their mouth.
Both of them was quiet for a second to just enjoy the rich chocolaty taste melting on their senses. It was homemade, probably Dan.
That was nice of him.
“We can’t stay for long because I really need to be on work on time and I have to drop of Dan first too but I figured we will have time to get you a cake at least.” Anne said and smiled shyly while concentrating on putting the spoon in her mouth.
She had always looked beautiful when she smiled but she looked adorable when she had that small blush. Eddie wanted nothing more than to lean over the table and kiss her.
Let’s do it.
Eddie put an unnecessary big piece of chocolate cake in their mouth instead. The symbiote grumbled but couldn’t bee to mad about it, it was a good cake.
“How is your new work going?” Eddie asked Anne when he finally could swallow the big piece.
“Oh, it's going fine, more than fine actually, it’s going really well and it’s possible that I actually may get a promotion soon.”
“Really? That’s great news! I’m happy for you.” Eddie said cheerfully.
The sting of guilt over her former job did not go unnoticed to the symbiote. They didn’t say anything about it though, Eddie seemed tuchy about it.
“Thank you.”
”How is it going for you and work, Eddie?” Dan asked.
“Well, you know… I got a job, it’s for a smaller paper than I used to write for but you know, at least I’m writing and paying the bills. So we are doing fine.” Eddie answered embarrassed and focused on the cake.
The bills from last week are not paid yet.
“Yes darling, thank you for reminding me of that.” Eddie said sarcastically but without heat.
“How is things for you, Dan?” he continued to move the focus.
“Oh, they are fine, no promotion prospect in site like Anne but I’m happy with the pace of things and it’s a rewarding job.” Dan said with a calmness about him that made Eddie take him for his words.
“Oh, Eddie, I almost forgot, we also got you a gift!”
“Aw, you shouldn't have, that is way too much.” Eddie muttered when Anne gave him a cute little paper bag
Gift, Eddie? Is it more cake?
From the bag Eddie fished a small, flat, perfectly wrapped package. The paper was white with black bubbles with some of them popped which made them look similar to the way Venom looked midd transformation. The thought she put down on just the wrapping warmed his heart and he smiled softly to himself.
What is it?
Eddie could feel the symbiotes curiosity practically vibrating inside of him. The curiosity got the better of his love and a black head suddenly poked out of his shoulder to inspect the present.
“We don’t know that yet, dear, we will need to open it to see.”
He did not wait no longer, egged on by the impatience of his other he teared into the package. Small tendrils impatiently formed on his hands and helped with the opening.
Out from the paper fell a small notebook. It was the perfect pocket size and with good quality paper. Eddie turned it over and the front had a print saying “write small, dream big”.
Boring. Eddie, hungry. More cake.
“This is so cute Anne, Thanks. And thank you, and Dan too, for celebrating me at all, this is so nice of you.” Eddie said and looked up at the couple happily.
“Don’t mention it Eddie, it’s not a big deal, I’m having a good time.” Dan said and waved away his thanks.
“We really need to get going now though.” Anne said after a quick glance at her watch.
She stood up and started to staple their plates together. Dan helped her with the glasses and the jug of juice. When they walked over to the sink Eddie notice that Venom took over. Black tendrils wrapped around him with lightning speed and he could feel his mind being pulled in, down, and being replaced with something else.
Anne and Dan had their backs turned to them, rinsing the dishes and putting the juice in the fridge. Venom reach for the half of the cake that was still left, open their mouth in the same way they would when they were about to bite someone's head of, and swiped the whole cake down with the help of their long tongue. They didn’t even bother to chew it.
Before Anne and Dan even had turned Venom had already licked the plate clean and disappeared into Eddie without a trace.
It was a nice cake.
“Yup.” was all Eddie answered, too used to his others antics.
Anne came back to get the cake and put it in the fridge. She looked down at the now empty, but slimy, plate and then up at Eddie. She gave him a suspicious look but did not say anything. She just took the plate and carried it over to the sink instead.
Do you think she knows it was we?
“Yeah, I’m pretty sure she has a hunch.”
The visitors was soon out of the apartment after that and they were left alone.
Not alone, Eddie.
“No, not alone.” Eddie repeated. He felt warm and fuzzy over the care he had been shown today. It looked to be a really good day today. Maybe one of his best birthdays in years.
Birthdays are interesting. We should have one tomorrow too. But with two cakes and no candles.
Eddie laughed at them while he put the last things away from the celebration.
“Sorry, but birthdays only come once a year. It was really nice of them to do it. I had just plan to ignore it and forget about it. After the thing… after I betrayed Anne I thought she would want nothing with me to do at all. I’m happy she allows me to still be a part of her life.” Eddie hummed thoughtfully.
They are nice. Should move in with us.
“Move in? Do you mean Dan too then?” Eddie laughed and went to the bathroom to make them ready for work
Dan is ok. He can sleep on the floor.
“I’m sure he would be flattered.” Eddie huffed and started to brush his teeth.
Which job are we going to?
“The day one, love, it’s morning.”
The boring one. We should skip out on it and do the night job now.
“Well, there is just the thing with the bills, darling, the night job don’t pay and we need to eat.”
We can eat at work.
“Ew, no. And besides, it’s a night job because we need the dark to do the job.”
They bickered back and forth for a while longer. Eddie took his bag and slung it over his shoulder. Then he picked up his new notebook, looked at it, smiled, and stuffed it down a chest pocket his other thoughtfully just added to today's outfit.